Paper Roses
by Kisara Strife
Summary: What if Seto and Kisara were forced to marry each other, through the hands of Gozaburo and a colleague? Would it be a farce, or would they learn to love each other? Can love possibly survive through the tangled dangers and secrets of their pasts?
1. Headlines

**Author's Note:** Hi guys! Another attempt at the Seto and Kisara pairing, though this time with a twist. I was talking with a friend (Woodster) on MSN, and this idea just kinda formulated from a song my aunt sings at sessions, so I wrote and this was what I got. Hope you like it! XxxxxxxxxxxX

* * *

"_Walking through a dream, I see you / My light in darkness, breathing hope of new life"_

* * *

The crowds had been gathering outside the KaibaCorp building for two weeks now; more and more news crews everyday. The story had leaked outside of Japan and spread worldwide like some kind of contagious epidemic. In the last three or four days, the Japanese news crews had been joined by their European and American counterparts; all eager to cover the story that had swept the globe in a matter of days.

"So, you're actually going through with this then?"

He didn't answer Mokuba's inquiry; he didn't have the energy to. For a fortnight now, it had been press conferences in the mornings, board meetings all day, an interview in the evening and back to the mansion to finish some work, fall asleep at his desk for two hours, then morning time again and more press conferences. The young man was now running on non-existent energy, and just about ready to burn out.

"Seto …"

"Leave me alone."

He groaned as his brother pushed him slightly, wanting an answer he refused to give. Seto Kaiba kept his heavy eyelids closed and leaned his head against the ever-familiar desk, wanting nothing more but to sleep for days on end and not wake up to this hectic paparazzi buzz of a life. Another push on his shoulder, which Seto deftly ignored again, hoping Mokuba would lose interest and disappear for a while with his girlfriend, Rebecca Hawkins. God, it was still hard to believe the kid even had a girlfriend, let alone been with her for eighteen months now. It seemed not that long ago he was just a thirteen-year-old kid who tagged along with his older brother – Mokuba was now a sixteen-year-old fully-fledged teenager with a long-term girlfriend and social life; a lot more than what he'd ever had, even now at twenty-one.

Another push to his shoulder from the frustrated younger male; a bit more forceful this time, earning a murmured answer from the exhausted CEO.

"Go play with your girlfriend. You're a teenager; experiment and leave me alone …"

"Seto, you're getting _married_!"

Ugh, that word again; why was the whole world suddenly transfixed with his personal life when marriage was mentioned? Now fully awake, Seto Kaiba let loose a weary groan as reality seemed to rush back; if Gozaburo wasn't already dead, he'd kill the old codger all over again for this mess he'd landed him in. It wasn't enough just to ruin his life when he was alive.

With little all else to do, the elder Kaiba brother shrugged his shoulders; an action he had never been familiar with in the past, and yet had grown accustomed to in the last few weeks. Mokuba had grown tall, almost rivalling him at this stage, and gone was the long shaggy mess of ebony; the youth now sported short black hair, making him look older than his sixteen years. He'd grown a lot in the last three years.

"What choice do I have, Mokuba?"

The cold blue eyes looked tired as they stared up at him; Seto was genuinely looking for an answer. This was all their step-father's fault; just when you thought life was back on track, the old man managed to mess it all up from beyond the grave. Seto had turned twenty-one those two hectic weeks ago and with that milestone birthday had come the reading of Gozaburo Kaiba's will. Everything had been fine until the lawyer had read out one of the specifications towards the end, initiating the arrival of all the news crews only days later.

"_As agreed when he was aged thirteen, Seto will marry the heir to Ashbrook Estates, Kisara Ashbrook. The engagement will commence upon the reading of this will. Upon denial of this stipulation, Seto Kaiba will be denounced of the name Kaiba, and his assets forfeited to the Schroeder family of Germany along with the Ashbrook Estates, with Ms. Ashbrook marrying Zigfried Von Schroeder instead._"

Though he could barely remember the occasion, being only eight years old at the time, Mokuba recalled being at a large-scale function in Germany, at the Schroeder castle. Gozaburo had spent the night speaking with two other men, one pink-haired and the other a bright blond. The hours had been passed at a table in hushed voices; Seto's name had been offered into the conversation by their step-father, with the pink-haired man disagreeing and mentioning a "Zigfried" into the fray. At that, the blond had shaken his head and looked back to Gozaburo, nodding and shaking hands across the table with the older man. It was only now, eight years later, that Mokuba realized what the conversation had been about that night – arranging the marriage of two mere children.

"But it's not just your life you could ruin, bro; you have to think of her's aswell."

With that, the sixteen-year-old patted his brother's shoulder and exited the study. There was one good thing that had come with the sudden media frenzy focusing on Seto; he and Rebecca could walk about Domino without any cameras in their faces nowadays.

* * *

The sound of knocking was what woke him from the accidental nap he'd taken; atop the same desk as usual. Roland was standing at the door of the elaborate study, hidden eyes locked onto his young employer, half-sorry to knock as the youth woke up. Seto silently cursed himself for falling asleep; there was so much to be done and organised within KaibaCorp, let alone in his own life at the moment.

Not wanting to hear of how another reporter had tried to get into KaibaCorp, or a fangirl onto the mansion's grounds, the young man spoke the first words that came to mind; he knew nothing about this girl, except for what the newspapers were circulating.

"Roland, tell me what you know about Kisara Ashbrook."

The head of KaibaCorp Security thought for a second or two as the younger man stifled a yawn; the question was anticipated in the very least; wouldn't she be the lady of the Kaiba Mansion soon?

"Well, Mr. Kaiba, sir, she's a year younger than you, niece of Jonathon Ashbrook and heir to the family estates-"

"I know all that, Roland. Humour me for a second; what is she really like?"

Another few seconds of silence, during which thoughts were re-organized once more, and then hesitantly spoken by the uniformed man. He didn't like talking about someone not present; it felt disrespectful in his opinion, but if Mr. Kaiba asked ...

"Intelligent and articulate, sir. A young woman with a peculiar beauty, but painfully shy it would seem."

"Thank you."

With that nod from the young CEO, Roland took his leave; whatever he had intended to tell the young man had vanished from his mind and could wait until later; the youth looked like he could do with a rest.

Seto Kaiba heaved a heavy sigh as he typed the young woman's name into the search engine on his laptop, thousands of images being returned in a matter of seconds. Mokuba was right about ruining two lives, but what could he do? If he declined the marriage then not only would KaibaCorp be forfeited to that pink-haired pansy, so would the Ashbrook Estates; they needed this wedding as much as KaibaCorp did thanks to that damned stipulation. Gozaburo and Jonathon must have foreseen the trouble and hype an arranged marriage would cause, for the shrewd men included a failsafe in their agreement; if he declined, then KaibaCorp would be forfeit to Schroeder and so would the Ashbrook Estates, along with their heiress. Though he reckoned he had no choice in the matter, Seto felt guilty for the young woman called Kisara; she had no choice whatsoever, being thrown about from company-owner to company-owner.

Thousands of people would be out of work if this thing didn't go ahead in the foreseeable future. Ruin two lives, or thousands? With the way the economy in Japan and Europe was going at the moment, he really had no other option.

With a groan of defeat, Seto looked back to the picture on-screen. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad? She was intelligent and attractive, but he doubted she knew much about the workings of a business. Gozaburo had mentioned something to her uncle all those years ago when the marriage had been decided.

"_She may not know anything about our world, but Seto has enough brains for both of them; she'll make a great trophy-wife either way_."

A trophy-wife, was that really what he was signing himself up for? Someone to leech from his account and occupy herself shopping? Somehow he doubted it; the blue eyes and colourless tresses seemed to speak of a hidden intelligence, and a sorrow. A sorrow most likely for this whole sordid affair their guardians had set up years ago.

Either way, that was the headline gracing every newspaper and television screen world-wide; "Marriage of Kaiba and Ashbrook; love or publicity stunt?"

Shaking his head and letting sleep take over once again, Seto Kaiba wished to know the answer.

* * *

**A/n- So please let me know what you thought, and thanks a million for taking the time to read it; you know it means the world to me! XxxxxxxxxxX**

1st Revision - 12/January/2011


	2. New Home

**Author's Note:** Hi guys! Thanks a million for the reviews on the first chapter, you know it means the world to me! XxxxxxxxxxxxX

* * *

"_Don't you take chances, you might feel the pain / Don't you love in vain 'cause love won't set you free_"

* * *

How many different countries had she lived in now? There was France mainly, Germany for a little while, then China, followed by Belgium and Britain, Egypt and South Africa, Hong Kong, the USA and now Japan; there were airlines that couldn't boast such extensive travelling as she could. After spending a few months to a year in each country, the girl had always returned to her home at the Ashbrook Estates in the south of France, but she wouldn't be doing that anymore.

With a heavy sigh, the deep blue eyes glanced out the tinted windows of the limousine, watching the scenery pass outside and stifling a yawn as she did so. Almost thirteen hours on a plane tended to make one a bit jaded, more so when her internal clock had just received a shock. So, if Japan was eight hours ahead of France, and the flight had taken almost thirteen hours, then the time should be …

Her mind refused to come up with an answer; it merely shut down and thought of sleep. Such a mathematical sum was beyond her reach at this moment in time.

"Excuse me, driver …"

"Yes, Ms. Ashbrook?"

The middle-aged man driving the limousine looked into the rear-view mirror at the sound of the young woman's voice. Seeing his green eyes looking at her, Kisara averted her gaze, already feeling the redness rushing to her cheeks in a bright blush. It was always the same; she'd blush for the smallest of things – it was the key reason her uncle ran the Estates; put her in front of a camera and she'd probably clam up completely, and that wouldn't reflect very well on her family's business.

"I …umm, was wondering if … uhhh, if you possibly had the time?"

"It's just gone two pm, Miss."

"Thank you."

With that, her eyes were focused away from the mirror and back out the tinted glass of the window; skyscrapers rose to seemingly impossible heights on each side of the road. One such building was still in the throes of construction on the left-hand side. Domino was a completely different world compared to the country estate she called home; this city was a concrete jungle with the constant sound of car horns and urban chatter.

The driver looked back to the road ahead, shifting down a gear or so as they entered the crowded centre of Domino City. He felt pity for the young woman riding in the back, more so seeing her blush so suddenly. As of two weeks ago, the whole world had been captivated by her name and that of his young employer. An arranged marriage? He hadn't even believed such things still existed in modern days until Mokuba had mentioned it whilst hitching a ride into the city. The world had waited for two whole weeks, with anticipation building and building; press conferences featuring Seto Kaiba avoiding any mention of engagement. This evading had been the norm for all of the press conferences up until two days ago, when the young company-owner had personally announced his engagement to Kisara Ashbrook … and all hell had broken loose in the media world.

Every second person walking around Domino City today was a journalist of some sort. Acquaintances of the Kaiba brothers had been plagued by reporters all day; from Duel Monsters champion and rival of Seto Kaiba, Yugi Muto, to Rebecca Hawkins; Mokuba Kaiba's young girlfriend. The airport had been crowded with news crews that had somehow heard of the young woman's arrival time. Lucky for the poor thing that KaibaCorp's security personnel had been awaiting her plane and had been at her side the moment of touchdown on Japanese soil.

"What's with all the cameras?"

Her soft voice was barely audible above the shouts and calls outside the limo; they'd just pulled up at a red light and the large "KC" on the side of the elongated vehicle had given away the identity of the passenger. Lights flashed outside the tinted windows, causing the young woman to start back. Unsure if she had been musing to herself or questioning him, the limousine driver answered in a kind voice, not wanting to cause her to blush yet again.

"You, Ms. Ashbrook; your engagement to Mr. Kaiba has caused quite the stir over here in Japan. The whole world is interested now; surely you must have heard of this is France?"

The light turned green, the handbrake released and the limousine was moving away from the crowd of paparazzi. _Engagement_ … _marriage_ ... two words a girl was supposed to dream about her whole life, finding Mr. Perfect and getting to know everything about him. Then he'd drop down on one knee and ask the most important question of all. At least that was the way it was supposed to happen.

"I … I try not to p-pay attention to the, ummm, media back home. I'm sorry to ask, but uhhh, what … what is he like?"

"Mr. Kaiba?"

Only a nod of her colourless tresses answered him, an intense blush taking over her cheeks. She was nothing more than a child really; his youngest daughter was older than her few years, and she was unmarried. The papers had quoted the young Ashbrook to be somewhat shy, but now he could see that was an understatement. It was clear to see that the poor girl wasn't used to the media attention her name was receiving.

"He may seem a bit cold, Miss, but I assure he's a good lad. You just need to get to know each other a bit."

That was her uncle's intentions too and the whole reason she was now moving into the Kaiba Mansion; for she and her fiancé to get to know each other before the wedding. A wanly smile towards the driver and weak nod of the head before looking back down to the ring on her finger. The fourth finger on her left hand. White gold, with a magnificently-cut diamond set in the centre, a smaller diamond on each side of it. It had arrived yesterday, a KaibaCorp jeweller personally delivering it to the chateau, announcing Seto Kaiba's participation in the marriage. She'd never had a choice; it was all up to him. If he'd declined, then her family's estates would have been forfeited to the German Schroeders, as would have all of KaibaCorp and her hand in marriage. Her uncle had watched the television set eagerly until all of the news stations had aired the press conference that had saved thousands of jobs, sealed her fate and would most likely ruin two innocent lives.

* * *

"Ms. Ashbrook?"

"Mmmm…"

She could hear the driver's voice, but her eyes refused to open; sleep seemed a much nicer option in her opinion.

"Kisara?"

A different voice could be heard this time; younger than the driver's by far. A light hand on her shoulder, shaking gently. Sleep rapidly dissipated when the young woman realized that the limo had stopped moving. The dark blue eyes flickered open to find violet ones staring back down at her, amusement in their depths. A deep blush surfaced on her cheeks once more as she realized she'd fallen asleep in the limo.

"I … I'm terribly sorry-"

"Don't be; you must be exhausted after the length of that flight."

The younger voice was speaking, half-laughing as he took her hand and helped her out of the limousine. It was only as she stood and faced the youth that Kisara realized who he was, half-raising her hand to her mouth.

"You're …"

"Yup, I'm Mokuba; the _other_ Kaiba brother."

His smile was one of acceptance, as though used to being referred to as such. Then again, when one's older brother was Seto Kaiba, it tended to be par for the course. Feeling her blush receding slightly, Kisara turned around, her eyes looking to the Kaiba Mansion; her new home. And what a home it looked to be; an elegant set of stone steps leading up to grand double doors, made of dark wood. Though not as visually aesthetic as the family chateau she knew so well, the Kaiba Mansion was a whole new world to her.

"Want to take a look inside?"

The purple eyes were looking to her again, an elbow offered in her direction and an eyebrow raised inquisitively. Still blushing, not quite as vividly, the young woman timidly took the teenager's arm; walking up the steps to the front door of the mansion. There was something about Mokuba she immediately liked, whether it was his attitude or friendly smile, she didn't know.

"Seto's a bit caught up at KaibaCorp but he should be home soon enough … listen Kisara, I'm sorry he couldn't give that to you, but he's real busy and to be honest, we can't really get anywhere with the press at our door twenty-four-seven."

He was looking down at the heavy engagement ring on her finger, a look of guilt crossing his features as if it were almost his fault. Flashing a weak smile, she shook her head as they walked through the doors.

"No, it's fine … oh, wow…"

"C'mon, I'll give you the grand tour, mademoiselle. This is the foyer or the hall as I like to call it."

Despite the initial amazement, Kisara laughed at Mokuba's words and looked around the wide room. A grand staircase led to the upper floor, wide enough to stand five people side-by-side. The marble floor seemed to give the room more depth as her footsteps echoed off it and reverberated upon reaching the walls. Hallways led every which way, with closed doors facing her. It was all very much overwhelming; the chateau was open plan with huge rooms, stone walls and floors, not this maze.

"Hey, it's okay; you'll get the hang of this place soon enough, Kisara."

Despite his words, Mokuba noticed she still seemed a bit lost so he approached the first door and opened it wide to show the room behind.

"See; first door equals living room with a _huge_ TV, normally you can find this room because I have music channels blaring most of the time … when you come out of here hang a left and straight on to the kitchen, and those are the two rooms you need to know. You got a phone?"

She was laughing lightly as she handed over her silver phone, amused at the teenager's description of his own home. It surprised her that he was so friendly seeing as she was literally just walking into his home and life, even if not by her own will. A few more seconds and Mokuba had handed back the phone, smirking.

"Now, you have my number so if you want to know where a room is call or text me; it also works well if you get lost in here."

Kisara found she couldn't help but giggle at the youth's antics, especially at the last few words.

"It's not a joke; I still get lost in this place, ask Seto."

"Trust me, it's true."

A third voice had entered the fray. Jumping slightly, Kisara turned on the spot, a blush immediately setting her cheeks aflame as she saw who was standing there; tall, brown-haired and blue-eyed. Handsome yet intimidating; Seto Kaiba, the man she would be marrying.

* * *

**A/n-**** Thanks again for reading guys! XxxxxxxxxxxX**

2nd Revision - 12/January/2011


	3. Tour Continued

**Author's Note:** Hi guys! Thanks a million for the support on the last two chapters and I really hope you like this one! Just wanted to say thanks to "**Pharaoh'sJewel**" for her appreciated help in re-wording the last part! XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

* * *

"_I know it's gonna take some time to finally realize"_

* * *

The sound of a loud "_beep-beep!_" interrupted the silence of the foyer, with Mokuba reaching into his pocket and producing his mobile phone; the source of the message alert. An awkward silence seemed to descend as the youth took his time in reading the message, and then smirked inwardly … Seto was going to kill him for sure if he left, but Rebecca was at the Muto's shop, and the spouses-to-be would surely want some private time.

Looking up to his older brother, hiding a smile as he did so, the sixteen-year-old could see the cobalt eyes shooting him daggers. He'd told him yesterday not to leave him alone; for all his wealth and appeal to the opposite sex, Seto Kaiba managed to fail epically when left alone with one. The young man preferred to focus on the running of his business rather than finding a partner. He'd had plenty of girls, but no _girlfriends_; his type was to be seen at the mansion by night, gone by morning … and now he was getting married; irony was a cruel thing.

Half afraid that he would smile openly in his older brother's face, Mokuba decidedly turned to face Kisara; she looked a bit nervous.

"I'm sorry to run out on you like this, but I'll finish the grand tour later, 'kay?"

"It's no problem at all."

So courteous she seemed. Seto had to give her props for composure as he silently threatened Mokuba with his eyes; he had a hunch that the well-timed text message had been pre-planned with help from a certain blonde. The teenager was still smirking noticeably as he pocketed the mobile and made a hasty exit from the foyer, leaving an almost stifling silence in his wake.

_C'mon Romeo …say something, anything …_

It was always creepy how silence itself seemed taunt the mind the more it dragged on. It created a little nagging voice that seemed to speak with much more ease in his mind than through his vocal chords; more so when confronted with an attractive young woman, such as Kisara Ashbrook. He should have stayed at KaibaCorp for another while ...

"How about I show you around; I'm guessing Mokuba only focused on the living room and kitchen?"

_Smooth._

Damned voice. But it was seemingly sated this time as another one could be heard; not a voice of silence, but a human's. It was quiet and meek sounding, but refreshingly pleasant upon the ears at the same time; a plethora of elocution and flawless pronunciation; not even a hint of a French accent.

"I'd like that very much … Seto."

The consonant at the beginning of his name was noticeably hesitant, as though she had hovered on the decision of saying "_sir_" just a little too long before blurting out the actual name. As peculiar as it sounded, the logic was boldly thrust into the young CEO's face; there was no use in beating around the bush if they were to be wed. As awkward as the atmosphere seemed, with the two of them walking towards the grand staircase, it was one that would have to be gotten used to, and only one word, as horribly blunt as it was, seemed quite adequate to describe the new atmosphere, and that was _weird_.

The place didn't seem so bad, though the numerous hallways still seemed daunting to her. At least she had a fall-back if she _did_ happen to get lost; Mokuba's number. A smile crept across the young woman's lips as she recalled the teenager; things didn't seem as strange as she had thought they would, for she quite liked Mokuba; he was very welcoming of her. His older brother, on the other hand, she wasn't quite sure what to make of him so far. He was all she had ever been told by the female maids back home at the chateau; handsome, tall and somewhat taciturn … then again she wasn't exactly one to judge, with the red blush only now subsiding slightly. The knot that had been present in her stomach for the past fortnight had eased since entering the large house; despite the daunting size of the Kaiba Mansion, it was surprisingly warm and, in a way, homely … more than the chateau had been. The neglected sneaker half-way up the staircase seemed to emphasize the lived-in feel of the mansion, along with a schoolbag she could see dumped at the very top step.

Step after step and Kisara found her mind to be wandering; this would be her home after all. Nevertheless, it wasn't the dwelling that her thoughts focused on; it was her husband-to-be. For the past two week she had dreaded this meeting and now that it was finally here, the young woman couldn't stop her thoughts running riot; he wouldn't expect her to sleep with him, would he? Not that she … well, it was just … she didn't even know anything about the guy as of yet.

Yawning slightly, most likely due to the three hours maximum sleep he had gained last night, Seto Kaiba noticed a pair of eyes watching him. The soft sapphire eyes locked with his for a split-second before she glanced down to the marble floor below. She looked almost scared as a red blush ignited her cheeks anew. Without thinking, a small smirk had formed, and a chuckle had barged its way out, along with a sincere comment.

"You look worried. I swear, whatever Mokuba said about me he's lying."

When Roland had mentioned shyness those two days ago, he'd taken the man at face value, but now Seto could see just how self-conscious Kisara really was as the red of her cheeks seemed to darken in colour. Three years ago, he would've flashed that arrogant smirk of his and walked away from her, but things had changed and, begrudgingly, he had matured. There were bigger things in life than improving one's jackass image … much bigger things akin to marriage.

"Honestly, I don't bite as much as he said."

Another small chuckle, but from her this time, the redness of her cheeks lessening just a little bit as those eyes dared to fleetingly lock with his once more. Blue was a curious colour, he had come to decide in the last ten or so minutes. Seto had always thought blue was just blue; his eyes were blue and that was all there was to it … but then, her eyes were blue aswell, but different at the same time. The very same colour, but a different person lived behind the coloured screens of irises.

She mentally counted the number of doors that passed before they stopped walking; seven. So, the first door downstairs equals living room, then left to the kitchen. Up the stairs, right and past seven doors … oh, she'd never remember this! But the twenty-year-old's mind was given very little time to memorize the way they'd walked before her interest switched to something else entirely. Remembering herself only when her feet has brought her half-way across the vast room, Kisara guiltily glanced back over her shoulder, brushing her colourless side-fringe out of her eyes.

"May I?"

"Do as you want; it's your home too, Kisara."

He said home, not house … and he'd said her name with a lot less hesitance than when she had spoken his. Those cobalt eyes watched bemusedly as her slender fingers traced along the cold ivory keys of the grand piano. Gozaburo had insisted upon the piano gracing this open upstairs foyer, even though neither of his adopted sons had ever learned to play the elegant instrument. One of the older maids had mentioned the old snake's wife had been quite the pianist before the break-up of their marriage. And as he watched Kisara's finger gently pressing down on the keys, stringing a few random notes together, Seto had to wonder if such things were to replay themselves again. With a sudden impulse, the young man spoke just loud enough to be heard above the chord progression now being played.

"Kisara, do you mind me asking you something?"

The gentle, melancholy notes stopped as her fingers lifted from the keys and the young woman spun around on the leather-cushioned stool to smile slightly and nod her head, the blush seemingly fading as she grew used to his presence. The white tresses were pulled over one shoulder and bound in a loose-ponytail to keep them out of her way.

"How is it that you're from France, but you look Asian?"

A quiet chuckle was heard as she raised her hand to her mouth in a polite laugh. Something told Seto that he wasn't the first person to pose the query to her.

"My father was French, but my mother was Japanese; she was a pianist."

"She taught you to play?"

As he walked closer, asking what seemed a natural follow-up question, Seto could see how she turned away slightly and her fingers began to trace along the black and white of the keys; she favoured chromatic movement as opposed to triadic.

"N-no, my uncle did … he thought it w-would be fitting."

Unsure of the tone the conversation had taken, the young CEO took the initiative to change the subject.

"Let me show you your room."

The relief present in her sapphire depths was just about visible as Kisara breathed an unheard sigh, letting Seto show her to another door she would have no hope of distinguishing for weeks to come yet. The only thing she'd remember would be the piano in the upper foyer. They stopped at an ajar door midway down a hall that branched from the piano's foyer, with Seto pushing it fully open.

"Wow …"

Another bemused look came from his blue eyes as Kisara took a few steps forward; the maids had brought her luggage from the limo to this room and unpacked her belongings for convenience. The European let her eyes dart around for a few seconds; the room was huge, in all senses of the word. Her chambre in France had probably been just as large but its cold stone walls and high ceiling had always made the room feel more like a cave; this room, with its thick carpeting and dark wooden window frames seemed so much more to her.

One thing was for sure, judging from her reaction to the large bedroom, Kisara would find a whole different world in Domino that what she had been used to in France.

* * *

"Thanks for texting me."

"Don't worry, was Seto angry?"

Mokuba fought back a laugh as he nodded and leisurely rested his arm around his girlfriend's shoulders. Seto would surely get revenge if he knew the teen had asked Rebecca to text him, but he guessed his brother probably knew about the plan already. Upon entering the small store, the Mokuba couldn't help but notice the lack of customers in the Muto shop today; most likely due to the news of Kisara Ashbrook's arrival in Domino. Téa was sitting behind the counter as usual; she'd taken to helping out at the shop since beginning a relationship with Yugi, about a year and a half ago now.

Walking up to the counter, Mokuba smiled his greeting as Téa laid down the ballet magazine she had been reading and pinned the teenager with a glare, followed by an eager question.

"So? How is she?"

"Kisara?"

Both she and Rebecca nodded their heads, with Joey and Tristan appearing from behind one of the shelves, two or three booster packs in their hands, and interest piqued by the mention of the new French woman.

"She's cool, very shy though, but I suppose that's to be expected. Seto wasn't very happy with me leaving either …"

The wide smirk was back as youngster recalled his brother's face; there'd most likely be hell to pay for it when he got back to the mansion later on. He felt sympathy for his brother's wife-to-be; she was in a strange new country, knowing nobody and very unaccustomed to the media buzz on this side of the world.

"I still can't believe Kaiba's going to get married … Mokuba, if she wants someone to show her around, or even drop up to the mansion, you give her my number, kay?"

Téa winked her blue eyes as she spoke to the younger Kaiba brother; she figured this Kisara girl could do with a friendly face. About to say something, Mokuba was cut off as the bell above the shop door jingled; a small group of people walked in and started to browse around the selection of cards and other games. Looking up, Téa flashed her friendly smile and spoke in the sincere and helpful tone she reserved for customers; people tended to buy more if they noticed how helpful the girl at the desk was.

"Hi there and welcome to Muto Gaming. Common cards are displayed on the shelves and we have rarities up here at the desk, if you'd like a look."

The group of strangers didn't respond to the friendly welcome of the young woman and instead continued their browsing around the small shop. It almost seemed as though they weren't familiar with the different, yet common Duel Monsters cards around them. Téa spoke lowly to Mokuba and Rebecca as the group ignored her.

"I'm guessing they're tourists ..."

"Yeah ... either that, or deaf."

"Mokuba!"

Rebecca elbowed her boyfriend forcefully as he answered Téa. The group looked over as they heard her hissing his name. Well, the strangers weren't deaf, as Mokuba had proposed; they'd heard his name being spoken and timely produced cameras from behind their backs, and from pockets; damned paparazzi were everywhere today!

The group of maybe about five people seemingly gravitated towards the sixteen-year-old Kaiba and his girlfriend, both of whom were already halfway into the back part of the store, having been quickly ushered in by the brunette at the desk; leaving a confused Tristan and Joey, only now poking their heads back around a shelf.

* * *

**A/n-**** Thanks a million for reading you guys; you know I love you for it! XxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

2nd Revision - 13/January/2011


	4. Take Turns

**Author's Note:** Sorry about the wait, and thanks so much for the support on the last chapter; it really does mean the world to me. XxxxxxxxxxxxX Thanks again to "**Pharaoh'sJewel**" who spotted some ridiculous grammatical errors I'm ashamed to have published. Thanks huni!

* * *

_"I'm gonna smile 'cause I deserve to / It'll all get better in time"_

* * *

Dresses galore … silk, sequins, and colours of every shade. The closet itself was the size of a room, with shelves of shoes to match the dresses. She'd had a few evening-wear gowns back in France, and that was where they had stayed. It was only now that Kisara noticed how thoughtless she had been; she was marrying one of the most well-known young men in the world, obviously there would be need for formal wear.

She was getting married. Was this why he had shown her all these dresses? And the jewellery that lay sparkling before her; to impress? Blushing yet again, the young woman picked one of the dresses off of its hanger, turning to examine her reflection in the large mirror. The dark hue of the emerald dress did no favours for her complexion, making her seem ghostly pale.

"I think the lighter colours would suit you better."

Jumping slightly, the young woman spun around to see Mokuba standing in the doorway of her room. Kisara found herself smiling as the youth hovered at the door and looked around the outside foyer rather fearfully.

"Where is he?"

"Seto got a call from KaibaCorp and had to rush off about an hour ago. I think you should be safe."

A sigh of relief followed as Mokuba visibly relaxed; getting Rebecca to text had seemed like a good idea, but he'd have Seto to deal with later and after spending the last two hours in Yugi's living room, away from the persistent reporters, the lad certainly wasn't up for that tonight. Flashing a smile, Mokuba took a quick glance around the room and raised an eyebrow.

"You like the room?"

Props to Seto; he'd had the maids turn-down the room in lightning time, and given Kisara one of their largest ones aswell. The size of the room didn't go unnoticed as the young woman sat on the end of the large double-bed and just looked around for a minute or two; only then did she answer Mokuba's question with a nod of her head.

"It's perfect … and the view; I didn't think the Kaiba grounds were so large."

Although the evening was quickly transforming into night, the grounds at the back of the house could be seen mostly in full; just behind the mansion there was a fountain, not as impressive as the one at the fore of the house, but eye-catching nonetheless. She stood from the bed and walked over to the window, pushing it open and looking out at the green expanse of lawn, dormant flower beds and the hint of a small forest at the end; it was much nicer to look at than the monotonous acres of grapevines in France.

"See the paths leading away from the fountain? They run all the way down to the small wood at the very edge of the grounds, then work back to join in with the larger paths running along the fencing and back to the fountain. You can't get lost because it's a big circle really."

Mokuba had walked to the window aswell and traced along the paths with his finger; it was just one big circle, but beautifully laid-out in order to exhibit the landscape of the garden. The teenager stopped his finger over the wooded area at the back of the ground for a second or two.

"The wood _is_ small, but that's only in comparison to others around here. I'm not joking when I say it's big enough to get lost in; one of our security team managed to get turned around in there last year and lost the path; if not for his earwig being on-line, we wouldn't have found him so fast. So, not to scare you or anything, but I really wouldn't recommend evening walks through it; night falls fast at this time of year."

Everything she had seen so far seemed exaggerated and superfluous, almost as though striving to show off; it was sobering to hear the serious warning from Mokuba. She took his words to heart and nodded her head; despite only knowing him a few hours, the young woman found herself trusting his warning. Turning from the window, Kisara wandered to her walk-in wardrobe and replaced the dark emerald dress back on the rail, sandwiched between a pale pink and a shimmering turquoise. She quite liked the look of the dusty pink dress, but exited the wardrobe nonetheless; the dresses could wait for the next day.

"So … can I ask you something?"

Looking up from where she had returned to sit comfortably on the end of the bed, Kisara nodded her head in response to Mokuba. She had so many questions to ask aswell, and yet merely blushed when the opportunity presented itself to voice them, instead choosing to answer queries. Mokuba was smiling as he walked over to her side of the room.

"We'll make it fair; I ask a question, then you ask one until we run out, 'kay?"

Kisara found herself blushing again; was she really that easy to read? Despite such thoughts, and the vivid blush, the young woman smiled and nodded yet again as she swiped colourless strands behind her ears, looking up as Mokuba spoke.

"Okay then; the papers and news stations say that you had no choice in this whole marriage thing, and that your family's estates would have been forfeited to the pink-haired dude in Germany, how comes?"

Pink-haired dude ... despite herself, Kisara raised a hand to her mouth, stifling a laugh at Mokuba's description of Zigfried; how true.

"Oh, well, w-when my uncle and your step-father came up with the idea of marrying I and your brother, the … the Schroeders wanted to have their say. See ... I was i-initially supposed to marry Zigfried, but then the Kaiba name entered the fray, and the new arrangement w-was made. Because Gozaburo and my uncle wanted the marriage to go ahead, t-they … uhhh, added a stipulation on both sides; if your brother refused, not only would the Kaiba fortunes be forfeited to the Schroeders ... b-but so would my family's estates; it was just an extra precaution agreed upon … one that worked seeing as your brother and I will be wed."

The sixteen-year-old was now sitting on the carpeted floor of the room, his back against the wall, listening intently as she explained. The stutters and pauses that impeded the explanation only made him feel sympathy for Kisara; she really didn't like being put in the spotlight. But one thing still bugged him.

"Kisara, he's called Seto, not my older brother. Contrary to popular belief, he does actually have a first name, not just _Kaiba_."

The slight laugh with which the youth voiced his say caused her to blush, only now noticing how she'd avoided naming her fiancé. One look at the teenager and Kisara was laughing at her actions quietly; Mokuba was still smiling as he sat on the floor. There was something about Mokuba's violet eyes that put her at ease, and the teen had been nothing but welcoming of her since earlier that evening; something she was grateful for.

"C'mon; you're turn to ask."

"Okay … ummm …"

Why was it that, when faced with asking him a question, all she knew of Mokuba Kaiba seemed to hide in the back of her memory? After another second or two, Kisara recalled Seto mentioning something of his brother's girlfriend earlier.

"Your girlfriend, Rebecca, how did you two get together?"

"Of all the questions you could've asked, why that?"

"J-just curious about how couples normally get together, I suppose."

That answer took him aback; he and Rebecca had had time to get to know each other, play pranks as kids do, and then somehow end up together. Kisara didn't get any of those privileges, something he had totally overlooked. Scratching the back of his head, Mokuba shrugged his shoulders in answer.

"If I'm being honest, then I don't really know how we got together. See, Rebecca was always crazy about Yugi Muto and chased him around for ages, but then Yugi got together with his best friend and more or less sat Rebecca down and explained to her that he and Téa were serious. After that she just started hanging round KaibaCorp a lot; annoyed the hell out of me to start with, but then she didn't show up for a while and I missed her. We sorta snowballed into a girlfriend-boyfriend kinda thing from there I guess."

"Téa … as in Téa Gardner?"

It was Mokuba's turn to be the quiet one as he looked to Kisara with surprise.

"You know Téa?"

"No, n-not really, but I know _of_ her. She … she performed in a ballet last summer; it played two nights in Paris b-before moving on."

Now that he thought back, Mokuba recalled how excited Téa had been about her trip to Europe last summer; she'd been studying dance for a few years and had been starring in a lead role in some ballet thingy … all he knew was that she had been gone for nearly three months.

"Swan Lake if I remember correctly…"

That was the name of it! Rebecca had made him go see it when it was showing in Japan; he'd almost fallen asleep half-way through. Guys in leotards leaping around a stage; not one of his fondest memories if truth be told.

"Your turn, Mokuba."

Jolted back to the present by her soft voice, the teen looked to Kisara and smirked as his next question formulated and fell from his lips in lightning-speed.

"Okay; eaten yet?"

With the slight shaking of her head, Mokuba had stood from his position sitting on the floor, and held a hand out to the young woman who would be his sister-in-law.

"Let me show you to our kitchen Ms. Ashbrook, seeing as Seto managed to beat me to the piano!"

Laughing once more, Kisara allowed Mokuba to lead her out of the room, her stomach responding with eager growl.

* * *

**A/n-**** Thanks a million for taking the time to read it guys! XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

1st Revision - 13/January/2011


	5. Lesson

**Author's Note:** Just wanted to say thanks for taking the time to read this again guys, and for the support on the last chapter. Expect a few changes in grammar by tomorrow; I swear that FF net automatically puts in typos just annoy authors, lol! (I'm sorry, I had to change some stuff and Seto's way of asking was just getting to me!)

Second Edit: It does add in typos. :'(

* * *

"_Something so tender I can't explain"_

* * *

Dinner the previous evening had been somewhat entertaining as Mokuba had proudly declared the fact of only one kitchen and no chef in the mansion, stating that he and his brother weren't as posh as everyone liked to believe. He had then timely produced a bottle of wine and showed it to her, which had caused Kisara to smile widely.

The chardonnay had been white, well-aged and with the Ashbrook family crest on the bottle's label. That was the reason her family's estates were so well-known; for their superb vineyards, not only in France, but also in Italy and Australia as the market had expanded globally. The last she had heard, the American Napa Valley was also being looked into.

True to his statement from yesterday, Mokuba had made it easy for her to find the living room; the sound of various rock songs emanating from behind the closed door had been a dead give-away, then a left to the kitchen, or up the stairs. That was where Kisara had been most comfortable to spend the majority of her time over the past day or so; upstairs in the open foyer. The grand piano just seemed to beckon her and the young woman had found herself to be sitting on the leather stool more and more as the day passed by.

The grounds accompanying the mansion had also been a target of hers today. Having woken just before eight that morning, Kisara had decided to be somewhat impulsive. It had been a clear morning and the thought of a long walk had seemed attractive, more so as the large house and garden outside seemed to be deserted; no people to bump into. A few of the maids had made a point of hovering around the kitchen last night as she and Mokuba had talked. The younger ones seemed to watch her almost condescendingly, but in contrast, the older ones seemed pitiful; from one extreme to the other.

The narrow path she had chosen to walk had led the whole way to the forest in the corner of the grounds and had been quite an enjoyable route; not only did the walk show off the Kaiba grounds very aptly, but it also dipped deep enough into that little forest for the outside world to seemingly melt away. Mokuba had also described the forest in truth; _small_ wasn't a word she would use when talking of the woods and, having explored in the light of a cold morning, the young woman would definitely be avoiding any evening or night-time visits.

Arrival back at the mansion had been awkward, amusing in retrospect, but awkward at the time. At the same time she had opened the door to re-enter the magnificent house, a hand had pulled it from inside, the person on his way out. Awkward seconds had been spent at the door; she'd tried to step left out of his way, but then Seto had accidentally gone left aswell. In turn, he'd opted to step right and she'd already done that, resulting in one of those annoying continuous stepping-and-accidentally-blocking episodes. Ultimately it had taken Seto to stand still, smirk apologetically and step aside for the episode to end. The red in her cheeks had been searing as Kisara had laughed lightly and nodded, choosing the right side of the doorway to walk past, a few of the maids giggling as she passed through the kitchen.

The same three young women had giggled their way up the stairs and annoyingly decided to hang around the foyer as she played about with a few makeshift chords, trying to remember how a particular tune had went. A few mistakes here and there and she'd remembered the notes via trial and error, all the while with the maids chuckling. Giggling and chuckling pointedly and even as she sat on the stool now, Kisara could feel her cheeks burning … but then her fingers danced seriously over the keys, a deep complicated rhythm that seemed lonely without its accompanying guitar riff. _Warmness on the Soul_ had always been one of her favourite tunes to play on the piano, despite being performed by Avenged Sevenfold; a taste in music that was often frowned upon at the chateau, and yet the twenty-year-old smirked as she tossed back a few colourless locks and noticed the maids had finally vacated the foyer.

"Seto, she rules …"

Hearing the voice, Seto turned to see his brother standing at the doorway to the living room, eyes looking up the stairs; towards the sound of the piano. Three of the younger maids had just made their way hastily down the staircase and then hung a left into the kitchen upon seeing him standing there. Those were the same three that had found it oh so amusing to watch the awkward manoeuvring at the back-door that morning … he couldn't believe himself for that; it wasn't all that hard to step the _opposite_ way as the other person, but no, Seto Kaiba had to make a deal out of it step in the same direction as her!

Leaving Mokuba at the living room door, the youngster gladly appreciating the notes that were floating down the stairs, Seto found himself to be walking up the staircase and towards the foyer.

The sound was much more intense on the second floor, bounding off the walls and reverberating back towards the piano itself, where she sat perfectly poised, fingers flitting from one end of the instrument to the other, solitary high notes and powerful chords clashed and meshed perfectly.

He really had to get that old thing retuned, God knew it had been years since it had been played properly, let alone put through such a workout as it had been today. Kisara really was quite the accomplished pianist as she finished off the piece, foot on the pedal and stretching out the final note for a few beats longer than necessary and too engrossed in her playing to notice him leaning against the wall.

"Mokuba's impressed …"

Like lightning, she had turned around on the stool, swiping white locks up into a ponytail, exposing the red blush beginning to colour her cheeks. That seemed to be Kisara's reaction to most things; the fumbling at the door this morning had caused her to blush so vividly he'd actually felt a little guilty.

"H-he likes that band?"

Seto nodded as he walked towards the piano; innumerable times he'd heard that track from behind the living room door with drums, guitar riffs and vocals making it a much heavier ballad. The band's name was an odd one, something to do with numbers, but that wasn't all that important right now; Kisara's blush had faded and he felt compelled to make a conversation. Any kind of conversation - it was bad when Mokuba knew more than him about the girl he was supposed to be marrying … scratch that; the girl he _was_ marrying.

"Did it take you long to learn?"

"The piano? No, not really; it's actually quite easy."

That was something he'd noticed about Kisara in the last day or so; her speech pattern. Anyone else would have placed "actually" at the end of that answer, then again most people wouldn't use "I" as much, preferring the informal "me". He figured it was the fact that she had been taught to speak English, being a French native. Despite the oddity, Seto found it an attractive trait of hers. The thought of conversation suddenly came back to his mind and the young CEO delivered his next question with deliberate bluntness. The piano looked as though it was a difficult thing to do, and he hadn't yet found something he couldn't do, ignoring the not-defeating Yugi Muto detail of course.

"Would you teach me how to play piano?"

It was nice to know that other people blushed aswell, and not just her; Seto Kaiba could blush, though very slight and just about invisible to the eye, but the tinge of red was there nonetheless. Who would've known? As surprised as she was by his question, Kisara could see that Seto was genuine in his asking, and as the seconds dragged by, another awkwardness began to build up again. It was her turn to save someone from a self-conscious moment for once … what was she supposed to do? It couldn't be that hard to teach one of the most intelligent young men in the world how to play the piano, could it?

"Of course."

For a second or two, Seto couldn't figure out why he was sitting on the leather stool beside her so quickly, but then realisation pointed a finger and laughed at him; Kisara had just removed her hand from his, having more or less pulled him down to the stool. Had he just asked to be taught the piano? On the bright-side, at least his teacher wasn't some old ogre with a bad temper; quite the opposite.

"Hello … Seto?"

Fingers were snapped in front of his eyes and a giggle heard. His first thought was of the three annoying maids watching this unfold, but it wasn't them; Kisara was the one giggling this time. She took another few seconds of giggling liberty before returning her attention to the piano and beginning to speak; much more fluently now that the topic was something she knew a great deal about.

"I'll start you off easy, we'll use the tonic chord of C Major; no accidentals to worry about that way, okay?"

"Wait, what's a tonic chord? Which one do I press?"

Oh, this was going to be harder than she had first thought.

"Seto, there are fifty keys in front of you; pick one."

And he did pick a key, with Kisara suggesting the next one, explaining that the notes complimented each other. From his vantage point at the very edge of the foyer, Mokuba hid a smile and turned on his heel; it was good to see his brother smiling lightly like that.

* * *

**A/n-**** Thanks again guys and I really hope you liked it! XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

3rd Revision - 21/January/2011


	6. New Arrival

**Author's Note:** Hey guys, sorry about the wait! My internet kinda died for a little while. Anyways here's the new chapter and I hope you guys like it! XxxxxxxxxX

* * *

"_That look in your eyes / Puts fire in the heart of the cold world"_

* * *

With a bored sigh, Mokuba cast his violet gaze out the large, floor-to-ceiling windows, watching as the rain beat against it and the countless droplets competed in a series of races towards the end of the glass pane. Mid-term from high school, and they had rain … what was he supposed to do for all next week if the weather continued on its current trend? Well swimming was always an option he supposed.

The teenager shifted in his armchair for the umpteenth time, the weather doing nothing for his boredom. Leaning backwards, Mokuba hung his head back over the arm of the chair, taking in the upside-down perspective of the living room as the blood rushed to his head. He was happy that he wasn't the only person in the living room today; Kisara had finally wandered down from the upstairs foyer.

Four days she'd been living in the Kaiba mansion now, and had finally managed to venture a little further than the piano upstairs; to the living room. Mokuba hadn't been lying when he'd mentioned music channels blaring; she'd walked in an hour ago, only to be greeted by a cacophony of rapid drumbeats, accented by floating guitar riffs. He had been quick in lowering the volume and offering her the remote control. Kisara had smiled her thanks, taken the remote and raised the volume level back up, much to the teenager's surprise. Though her uncle and his wife hadn't allowed her to _waste_ _time_ flicking through music channels back in the chateau, the young woman had done so when spending time studying in other countries.

As he heard light humming, Mokuba looked to Kisara; sitting at one end of the large sofa, with her knees drawn up to her chin, quite comfortable. She was the one humming along to the song whose video was now on the screen. Disney strikes again with Peabo Bryson and Celine Dion. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen that particular animated film … Rebecca had _forced_ him to watch most of the movies one associated with his or her childhood, seeing that he hadn't got a chance to watch them when he was little. Beauty and the Beast was the one currently on-screen, with its theme song filling the room, along with a light humming of the tune.

"You like that song?"

A nod of her head answered his question, and a happy smile graced the young woman's lips as Kisara looked to younger Kaiba, head leaning over the arm of his chair.

"It was my favourite film when I was younger, but I haven't heard the song in ages …"

"Why don't you just put it on your i-Pod?"

"I don't have one."

She had thought the answer was simple enough, with a light shrug of her shoulders, but after a second or so, Kisara was aware that a pair of violet eyes were still trained on her. When she looked back to Mokuba, he had righted his sitting position and was staring at her rather incredulously.

"What's wrong?"

"You _don't _have an i-Pod? Oh, we will have to improve on that."

As she laughed, the teenager made note of how his older brother was upstairs in his study, ploughing through some kind of stock report, and trying to balance out KaibaCorp's expenditure at the same time. Simple things that even he could do in half-an-hour, but Seto had insisted on doing it, when he was the one supposed to be down here with _his_ fiancée, but the busy-body CEO would be paying for it pretty soon.

He noticed how she was more capable of having a fluent conversation with him, unlike the convoluted stutters and vivid blush that hampered the her when she attempted to speak to anyone else in the mansion. Four days and he'd figured it out; Mokuba knew that Kisara was beginning to trust him. As crude as it sounded, he used her blush as a gauge - a deep blush meant the young woman was uneasy and didn't trust the person, anything after that was just Kisara getting used to the individual. She didn't blush around him anymore, and the self-conscious stuttering had all but disappeared. Next goal was to get her used to Seto … but that would all be taken care of with the plan he and Rebecca had hatched.

It was only as a text message came through on his mobile, that the teenager blinked his way back into the present and began hunting in the armchair for his phone. It _had_ been in his pocket earlier, but all his frustrated tossing and turning has dislodged the small item. A few minutes later and he had found it; stuck down the back of the chair, beneath the cushion. Mokuba read the text with an expectant grin; Rebecca would be arriving at the mansion in a few minutes, with a surprise in store for Seto. Everything was working out perfectly; just in case Seto didn't see the fun side of his little brother's latest plot, Kisara was also in the living room … for one reason or another, Mokuba couldn't see Seto getting _too_ angry in front of her.

"It's your turn, Mokuba."

"Huh?"

"Question …"

Mokuba smiled widely, they'd been doing this for four days now, since Kisara's arrival at the mansion; taking turns at asking each other questions until they ran out. Apparently Seto still had no clue what it was about, as he had given the two a rather confused look when Mokuba had told Kisara it was her turn yesterday. With an even wider smile than the last, the plotting teenager spotted just the right moment to introduce his latest ploy.

"Okay, d'you like dogs, Kisara?"

"We had five cats back at the chateau …"

The youth's smile dropped immediately: he and Rebecca hadn't worked out the kinks in their plan yet. What if she hated dogs, or was allergic to them? Or something else … a nervous gulp and Mokuba carried on, lacking the confidence of a few moments ago.

"Oh … you prefer cats then?"

"My uncle and aunt adore the things, but I always loved dogs."

Score! This, he could work with, she'd even wrinkled her nose a little; definitely a dog-lover! And if the rain held up, Mokuba figured he could always pull a few more tricks from up his sleeve - next plan; put a padlock on the door of Seto's study, but that could wait for a few days or so, also slash all the tires on the limos, so there would be no way of commuting into the city … but that still left the choppers to take care of; maybe a little bribing of the pilots might work … N'yah, that was fun for next week anyways.

A knock on the door of the room and Roland stood there, eyes masked by his sunglasses, why was it the man insisted upon wearing them indoors aswell?

"Mokuba, your girlfriend has arrived."

"Yes! Thanks Roland, I'll be back in two seconds, Kisara!"

The youth was already half-way out of the living room, leaving her and a stunned Roland in his wake. With a sigh, Roland looked to the young Ms. Ashbrook as she smirked lightly at Mokuba's antics. The girl was getting on well with Mokuba anyway, and it had surprised him to learn that Mr. Kaiba was now undertaking piano lessons; the grapevine of maids had soon informed him of the intimate little lesson.

"I'm sorry to ask, Ms. Ashbrook, but do you have any idea what he's up to this time?"

"Sorry, I … I have no clue."

She shook her head with a light blush; judging by the words of the man named Roland, she guessed it wasn't the first time the teenager had hatched a secret plan. With a nod, Roland departed the living room. He had been part of the security team that had escorted her from the plane on the day of her arrival here, and Kisara had noticed he was the most seen of the KaibaCorp security; often being spotted around the mansion. As the suited man took his leave, Mokuba returned to the living room.

"Kisara, this is my girlfriend; Rebecca Hawkins, and Rebecca, this is Kisara Ashbrook; Seto's fiancée."

A blonde girl, about Mokuba's age, stood beside the teen with a small basket in her arms. The girl was an inch or two shorter than Mokuba and for some reason, Kisara had a feeling she was in on the lad's latest plan.

"Hi there!"

"H… hello."

She seemed nice enough, smiling at her in a friendly fashion as her blonde ponytail swung from side to side. As he steered Rebecca around to the other side of the sofa, Mokuba took note of Kisara's blush; it was deep enough in colour - she didn't know what to make of Rebecca right now, and she'd stuttered when talking to her, and with Roland aswell. Next step before putting the padlock on Seto's study was to get her used to the people in the mansion; from Roland to the maids.

"Kisara, we have a plan but we need your help-"

Anything else Mokuba had wished to say, in a rather good recruitment-tone, was cut off by an abrupt yap from the small basket sitting on Rebecca's lap, another small bark followed, along with a playful growl. Three sets of eyes focused on the basket until Mokuba smirked and opened the lip, lifting out what appeared to be a small bundle of fluff.

"She's called Kai. I found her in a dumpster and _I_ can't keep her 'cause _my_ Grandpa's allergic!"

Despite herself, Kisara laughed lightly at Rebecca's words, with Mokuba lowering the puppy onto her lap; judging by Rebecca's tone of voice, Mokuba had already asked why she wasn't keeping the puppy. It was a Siberian husky puppy, with a red and white coat and the clearest blue eyes she'd ever seen. The thing was tiny, only about eight weeks old, but immediately began to play with her fingers, yapping at them and trying to jump on her hand, causing her to laugh all the more. With a triumphant grin, Mokuba lowered the volume on the television and looked to young woman who would be his sister-in-law.

"I don't think we're gonna have a problem with you liking her, Kisara … now, where's Seto?"

* * *

There it was again; three times he'd stopped typing on his laptop, and every time he did, the noise seemed to disappear. For all the world, Seto could have sworn he'd heard a dog barking. Mokuba had been at him for months to get a dog, but he'd said no; there was too much to be done in KaibaCorp to be dealing with little presents left behind after the animal.

Maybe it was just his ears playing tricks on him; he had been up here for a while, and all the young CEO could hear in his head was the tonic triad of C Major … C, E, G. Variations of such and not to mention passing notes; his fingers were killing him from all the typing, and still this mountain of paperwork had to be done by the end of the week for an audit.

Again? This time, Seto was sure he'd heard a bark, and he hadn't even been typing. With suspicion growing, already knowing that Mokuba had been plotting something, the young man stood from his desk and walked out into the hall, heading for the staircase. Those same three young maids walked past in their ever-present gaggle. He wondered if the three knew their way around the mansion if ever split up from each other, but it was their loud chatting that caught Seto's attention.

"It's so cute! I just hope it's house-trained …"

_Mokuba_ …

The staircase was traversed in only a mere two or three seconds, then straight for the living room, where the yapping could be heard all the louder.

"Quick, hide her, Kisara! Everyone act normal; three … two … one … and-"

Not knowing where else to hide an excited puppy, Kisara tucked the ball of fur under her elbow and re-adjusted her sitting position; placing her hand on the puppy's neck and hiding her with a cushion, just as Mokuba counted down; right on time, the door to the living room opened and there stood Seto, eyes locked onto his little brother in a suspicious manner.

"What's going on, Mokuba?"

"Ummm … did you know Kisara doesn't have an i-Pod?"

At the mention of that, Kisara laughed lightly; Kai was licking her fingers and nibbling at them whilst being hidden. The little puppy soon got bored of that and started to growl, with Rebecca coughing loudly to mask the noise, and speaking up as the pup decided to yap.

"Seto, d'you think you could help with some maths tomorrow or something?"

There was a time she had hated Seto Kaiba, and wouldn't dream of even looking his way, let alone talk to him as casually as she just had. Addressing him by his first name had definitely been out of the question back then aswell, but that had all been because of his rivalry with Yugi. Now the CEO was her boyfriend's brother and somewhere over the year-and-a-half she and Mokuba had been seeing each other, she'd become a lot less intimidated by Seto.

"Sure Rebecca …"

Likely excuse; that girl was already a year ahead in high school and, by all rights, should have graduated university already with the brains she had to spare. They were hiding something.

Kisara jumped in her seat, quickly extracting her hand from where little Kai was still hidden; okay, so puppies' teeth were extremely sharp when young, and the little fluff-ball had just seen fit to nip at her fingers. Now Seto was standing just above her, at the back of the sofa, a somewhat smug look on his face as he looked to his younger brother.

"Seto, she has no home, and Grandpa's allergic. She was just left in a dumpster … and it's raining outside, and she's only a puppy!"

Taking Rebecca's defending of the little Husky as a cue to reveal the pint-size culprit, Kisara lifted her elbow to reveal Kai growling as she pulled out of her light blue hoody. Extracting the puppy from her attire, Kisara held the small pup in her arms. Looking at the little dog, Seto took note of its small size and wagging tail.

"Is she house-trained?"

He was now looking back to his little brother, already knowing the answer the youth would give.

"Eh, no … but we'll train-"

"Find her a home, Mokuba. It's not fair on her if I'm working all day and you're off having fun with Rebecca, she'll only get neglected."

By the sound of his voice, Kisara could tell that Seto had already had this conversation with Mokuba more than a few times, and he was being genuine, but the young man had forgotten something, or more correctly, forgotten some_one_. Thanks to Mokuba and Rebecca, Kisara had already fallen for Kai, and wanted to keep the little puppy; something she'd never been allowed to contemplate in the chateau.

"I-I'll be here w-when Mokuba isn't..."

Almost as if to defend herself, the little husky puppy clambered up onto the top of the sofa and started yapping at Seto's hand, the young man somewhat taken-aback by Kisara joining-in the argument; he'd had the conversation so many times with Mokuba, he had actually forgotten her presence in the house nowadays. It was only as little Kai latched onto Seto's sleeve and started pulling out of it, that someone dared break the silence.

"Can we p-please keep her, Seto?"

More silence ensued as Kisara looked up to Seto, unintentionally locking gazes with him as she asked the quiet question ... this held up until Seto tore his eyes away and looked down to the husky puppy now growling at his sleeve. A surrendering sigh from him put her bright blush to rest.

"What's her name?"

"Kai …you mean we can keep her?"

The incredulous look Mokuba had worn earlier, when confronted with the fact that she didn't posses an i-Pod, was nothing compared to the one he was now wearing. It looked as if the youth hadn't actually been expecting his brother to give in so easily.

"Yeah, we can keep her …"

"Thank you."

Shrugging in defeat at Kisara's quiet words, Seto reached forward and teased the little puppy with his fingers, laughing lightly as the pup growled, trying to nip him. Mokuba winked at his girlfriend as a new idea struck him; Seto and Kisara looked quite sweet together, maybe it was time everyone else got a look-in.

"Mokuba, what're you doing?"

"You'll need to get her a bed, and food dishes, and a collar, a leash, oh, and food!"

As she smirked at Seto being steered out the door by Mokuba, Kisara felt herself also being steered in the same direction by Rebecca, all the while with Kai yapping excitedly in her arms. The mansion's front door was getting closer and closer, with Mokuba opening it and pushing Seto out, to a waiting limousine. A few more seconds, and Kisara found herself sitting in the limo beside Seto, with Rebecca closing the door, smiling widely.

"Have fun in Domino together!"

* * *

**A/n-**** Well, guys sorry for the wait in updating, and I hope you liked it! XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

2nd Revision - 21/January/2011


	7. Shopping

**Author's Note:** Hi guys! Seto and Kisara go to Domino today and I'm sorry about the length of the chapter! If you manage to wade through it, then let me know what you think, and I really hope you enjoy it! XxxxxxxxxxxxX

* * *

"_I've got shadows weighing me down"_

* * *

"Here; you'll need these!"

"Mokuba!"

Anything further Seto wanted to say to his little brother was cut-off as the youth slammed the limousine's door shut, having thrown in a few objects. Excited by the raised voices and movement as Seto tried to reach the door before it was shut in his face, little Kai yapped noisily and began to growl at all around her.

"Easy Kai, shush … w- what did he throw in?"

Kisara tried to calm down the puppy and hold back a smile at the same time; when Mokuba planned something, he pulled out all the stops. The rain hammering on the roof of the limo, coupled with Kai's incessant yapping caused Seto raise his voice when answering her.

"An umbrella and my wallet; no fear that he'd give me his money though …"

"Where to, Mr. Kaiba?"

At the sound of the voice, Kisara looked to the driver, recognising the kindly green eyes in the rear-view mirror; it was the same driver who'd brought her to the Kaiba mansion four days ago. Those eyes were now looking back via the mirror and surveying the couple with amusement.

"To KaibaCorp first, Kosuke; might aswell let them know I won't be in today if we have to settle this little one in."

He could be sort of sweet at times, Kisara noted as Seto resumed his teasing of Kai; swirling his hand around in an arc whilst the fluff-ball tried to nip at it, getting frustrated and angry as her target evaded her teeth. The kindly green eyes took in the little puppy before the driver nodded and turned the ignition.

"Right away, Mr. Kaiba."

So his name was Kosuke, at least she could remember that if she ever needed a lift anywhere. As the partition between driver and passengers slid up to separate the two parties, the limousine began to move and Kisara reached for her seatbelt. The young woman giggled lightly as she just about caught the young Kai, the puppy having ill-judged a lunge at Seto's thumb. The limousine then pulled out of the large gateway and onto the main road, heading for Domino City, and a silence seemed to fall in the back of the elongated vehicle for a few minutes too long as Seto idly yawned and decided to strike up a conversation again.

"So what do we need?"

"I … I'm not sure; I never had a dog b-before…"

"That makes two of us then."

She was blushing again; she never blushed when talking to Mokuba, nor had Kisara blushed when teaching him the tonic triad, but now she was scarlet. Wheeler's younger sister used to do that all the time, and it had annoyed him to no end, but for some reason when she blushed, Kisara made him want to reassure her that there was no need to be scared or nervous.

"Oww!"

Kai had seen the chance to skilfully leap from Kisara's lap and onto Seto's; aiming for his thumb, but instead managing to bite his wrist. Three years ago and he wouldn't have even contemplated keeping the little ball of fur, or would have most likely thrown her out already for biting him … but she was only a baby, and playing and, not that he'd ever say it out loud, the pup was kind of cute; three years had definitely softened him.

"Chew-toys could be useful … or a muzzle."

Though she hadn't meant it to be a joke, Kisara couldn't help but chuckle at her own words as Seto tried to disengage Kai from his wrist, earning a laugh from him as well. If this was the little thing's normal behaviour, he could tell that house-training the puppy was going to be an utter disaster: better get the maids to stock up on newspaper.

* * *

"Whoa …"

Although massive-looking on the television, the KaibaCorp HQ building was truly astounding in real life. The glass-paned walls of the skyscraper seemed to continue on forever; trying to pierce the heavy grey clouds above. A huge KC symbol, with the letters coloured blue and yellow respectively, stood out with stark contrast against the red background of the company's logo. The building was taller than any she had seen so far, and stood about six or seven floors above its surrounding scrapers, flaunting KaibaCorp's superiority in the gaming industry.

"You've never seen it before?"

The nonchalant tone he used told Kisara that Seto was more than just well-used to looking up at the building. She shook her head as the rain began to get heavier once more, turning the drizzle into yet another downpour.

"No, not in real-life … it's beautiful."

Well, that was one word he hadn't thought of using to describe his company's headquarters; annoying, adequate, banal, exhausting, time-consuming, but definitely not beautiful. Although now that he looked up at it, Seto noticed the shape of the building for what seemed like the first time; the four different annexes making up the "+" shape and the way it narrowed as it stretched skywards, only to terminate in its dome-covered helicopter pad. Maybe his adoptive-father had done one thing right in hiring good architects for the job.

"Guess Gozaburo managed to do something well before taking off."

"I h-heard you pushed h-him out a window …"

That comment caused Seto to freeze in his tracks; how could she have known? He'd covered up that entire sordid happening up before he'd even left his office, so there was no way any word, or ghost of a rumour could have reached as far as France.

So many years had passed since that day, he'd almost forgotten, but now the whole scene just seemed to re-appear; angry words, a few shouts, one of the receptionists asking if everything was alright, broken glass ... and silence.

His quietness must have said a lot, as it was Kisara to speak next, breaking an awkward silence for the first time.

"W-wasn't that what t-the papers wrote after he disappeared? To sell their c-copies."

Looking down the few inches in height, Seto took note of the curiosity in her eyes; she was being benign about it all. She honestly thought it was just a story concocted by the paparazzi; something that didn't sound all that far-fetched at all. Whoever had circulated that cover-story deserved a pay rise. Snapping back to reality, the young CEO nodded his head with a light smirk.

"Yeah; they'll say anything to get it on the front page."

"Is that everything, Mr. Kaiba?"

It was the driver's voice to gain Kisara's attention next; he was looking out of the window, asking the question. It was her first time getting a proper look at this Kosuke and not just his eyes in the mirror. He looked every bit as friendly as his eyes conveyed.

"Yes, thanks Kosuke; we'll get one of the limos parked up here back to the mansion."

As the kindly man nodded his head and started up the vehicle's engine, a thought dawned on Kisara; if there were more limousines here, then that meant that there was more than just one driver.

"Seto, are there other drivers besides Kosuke?"

"Yeah, we have about two-dozen to drive the rest of the limos during summits and meetings, why?"

Two-dozen … twenty-four; that was a lot of people to try and remember. Back in France they'd only had two limos and even then she'd only ever travelled in one and had known the driver quite well.

"I'll never remember all this …"

Great, now the rain was getting even worse and, despite being wet already, Seto opened up the umbrella. Now he saw the plot behind Mokuba's actions; if it was raining and they had only one umbrella, then they'd have to be close to each other. Dead; that was the only word he could think of to describe the teenager when he got home. But his attention was soon switched to Kisara: she was looking pretty worried and he didn't blame her. He could remember arriving at the Kaiba mansion as a twelve-year-old and just wandering around for days; the whole place was the real-world equivalent of a labyrinth, not to mention the amount of staff that came and went in the house everyday. At last count, there were ten maids, six gardeners and a small gaggle of KaibaCorp security arrived now and then to discuss matters. There was also twenty-four drivers at the moment; there had only been seven when Gozaburo had run the business, but branching out into the gaming world had expanded KaibaCorp's boundaries and had also made for many more guests invited over for summits and functions. Being the host business, one had to be generous and offer transport, meaning the limousine fleet had also grown.

"You'll be fine; I'll introduce you as we go along."

Seto walked forward the few paces to where Kisara was still looking up at KaibaCorp's logo, and stood close enough to place the umbrella over her head aswell; the rain was really coming down now. She was still worried, but she hadn't blushed. That was one thing he'd noticed about Kisara in the few days she'd lived at the mansion; she blushed if she didn't know a person, or wasn't comfortable in a conversation - when he'd asked if her mother had taught her piano, she'd blushed deeply then, but when teaching him how to play piano she had been completely fine; no stuttering or blush.

And even as he stood so close to her, there was still no blush, which he was surprised at, seeing as his left arm was now resting lightly across her shoulders; he had done it subconsciously. Every other girl he'd been with had wanted his arm on their shoulder, so he'd done it automatically, but Kisara didn't seem to mind that much. So it wasn't personal space that caused her to blush; it seemed to depend on the person she spoke to. His arm was still comfortably placed across her shoulders and only a light smile from Kisara answered this micro-step in their relationship.

* * *

"Oh crap …"

"What's wrong?"

Too busy letting her attention wander as they walked through the doors of the building, Kisara looked up to the man she would be marrying someday; he looked a bit taken-aback at the KaibaCorp lobby. She'd been so busy taking in as many details of the building's entrance as she could that Kisara only now noticed the large crowd in KaibaCorp's lobby, with people trying to jostle their way to the front desk of the reception. With a groan, Seto Kaiba covered his face with his right hand; the other still resting on Kisara's shoulders. When he spoke, it was with a muffled voice.

"I don't believe I forgot … I'm the CEO and I forgot …"

"Forgot what?"

No one had spotted him yet; probably because he was wearing jeans and a hoody today instead of the white trench coat, that and people weren't used to seeing him with a young woman. They could just walk out and everyone would be none the wiser …

"I forgot today was the registration day. We're running a new Duel Monsters tournament in a few months and only have a certain number of places available, and today is the day for registering and I completely forgot! It's not funny …"

"I'm s-sorry, but it is …"

There really were a lot of people in the lobby and he was guessing they'd been waiting for a while now, and all Kisara could do was giggle lowly. He should've received an e-mail from reception to remind him, but Seto guessed he'd been investigating Kai's barking when that had come through … and he'd gone straight from the living room and into the limo, with the e-mail probably sitting in his inbox waiting to be read; fat lot of good it was there.

"Hey, rich-boy!"

"Oh, God not him …"

Kisara was saved from asking who as a young blond man marched his way over. He was loud, whoever he was, and not at all too happy-looking; good thing Kai was asleep in her arms, or she'd be yapping the place down.

"We've been waiting our butts off in here for half-an-hour, and where the hell you been?"

Either he had no answer, or was just ignoring the blond, but Seto made no attempt to speak. What right had Wheeler to come shouting and roaring at him like an enraged bull? Three years had done nothing to some people; once an idiot always an idiot, and he really didn't have the patience to deal with the loud-mouth right now.

"S … Sorry, h-he was with me. I-I apologise."

Seto resisted the urge to match Wheeler's shouting as Kisara offered an apology. The dumb-ass was scaring her; Kisara was blushing again and stuttered her way through the excuse, with Wheeler only now noticing her there and half-blushing himself. By now, the rest of his dweeb patrol had turned up aswell.

"Oh jeez, look I'm sorry, miss; I didn't mean you-"

Spotting someone sane to speak with, Seto cut the boy named Wheeler off mid-apology and looked to the girl with brown hair and blue eyes.

"How long've you been waiting, really Gardner?"

"About ten minutes, Kaiba."

"Thanks."

Somewhere over the past three years, he'd become civil with Téa Gardner, though he didn't really know why; maybe it was because she'd stuck up for Mokuba when that Marik idiot had taken him, or maybe it was just because she seemed the most normal out of the geek squad. Wheeler was still hopeless, though how he'd ever pulled a girlfriend like Mai Valentine, Seto would never know.

"Is Yugi here?"

"He had to go back to help his Grandpa with the shop; I'm here to register him."

"He's already entered anyway because he's the King of Games. Wheeler, you need to register, so does Mai if she plans on dueling - give me a sec, actually."

The noise in the lobby had reached a deafening crescendo of annoyed duelists and three young receptionists under extreme pressure. The arm had left her shoulders; she hadn't even noticed it there, but now that it was gone Kisara wanted it back around her, but Seto was busy making his way through the crowd with little victory, that was until his patience wore just a little bit thinner.

"If you want to register, then line-up and make it easy on the receptionists! Either that, or you don't duel!"

Hearing the shout, the crowd or duelists parted like the Red Sea. They hadn't realised who it was trying to elbow past them to the front desk, just presuming it was a fellow duelist; it was kind of hard to recognise the young CEO when he was wearing casual attire.

"Is that a puppy?"

"Wha- Oh, y…yes."

Tearing her eyes from the now lining-up crowd in the lobby, Kisara nodded her head and looked to the girl speaking to her; it was the brown-haired girl. She hadn't changed all that much since she'd last seen her, maybe her chestnut locks were a little longer in length, but overall Téa Gardner looked pretty much the same as she did last summer.

"You must be Kisara. Hi there and welcome to Domino."

She seemed friendly, and sounded as though she hung out with Rebecca, judging by the similar greeting shared by the two. The two boys behind Téa just stood and looked a little out of place as they stared at her, making her blush all the more; one was the blond Wheeler boy and the other had a long black ponytail and a dice earring. Following the French girl's gaze, Téa frowned at her friends; they were just standing there and gawking like idiots, Joey especially.

"Joey, don't you have to go register; Duke will help you, won't you Duke?"

The threatening tone in the last part of Téa question caused the black-haired one to nod and follow his friend to the neat queue of duelists that had materialised since Kaiba's shout. Smiling as her blush lessened, Kisara shook hands with Téa and spoke with a light blush.

"Hello, Téa is it?"

The surprise in the girl's wide blue eyes made Kisara smile somewhat. For some reason, she didn't feel so nervous anymore, and her cheeks had drained of the vivid red.

"I saw you when Swan Lake played in Paris last summer."

"Oh, thanks for coming to see us!"

"Can you tell Yugi to collect the new duel-disk tomorrow or the day after? And he's registered in, so he should get the tournament rules and everything else in the mail."

"Yeah, no problem. Thanks Kaiba, and I'll talk to you again, Kisara!"

"Bye."

She was already half-way through the crowd; trying to find the two boys she'd been accompanying a little while ago. Kisara was smiling as the brunette walked backwards and waved with a smile, but what Seto noticed most was the lack of a blush, and she hadn't stuttered once; Kisara liked talking with Téa.

"You ready - oww!"

Kai was back awake and nipping at his hand again; it only seemed to be Seto she did that to. With a smile, Kisara nodded her head. It looked like it had finally stopped raining outside and some sunlight had just managed to stab through the clouds. Despite not needing the umbrella anymore, Seto still stood close to her and the arm was back around her shoulders. Mokuba deserved a medal for all his planning; the amount of time she'd spent with the youngster seemed overshadowed by that arm around her. A strong arm that wasn't asking for anything or hinting; it was enough for it just being there.

* * *

"What about this?"

"Will it fit her?"

"Hold her still and we'll find out- oww!"

Kai strikes again; all he'd been trying to do was tie a collar around her furry neck, and the pup had nipped him for that. At this rate, typing on his laptop was out of the question; if he made it home with all ten fingers, Seto would consider himself lucky.

"You hold her, and I'll try …"

Kisara took the small little collar from him and swapped over the feisty puppy; they'd already put food dishes and food, along with some chew-toys into the basket. The pet store had only opened today and it was huge; it sold not only supplies and food, but also a whole menagerie of other animals, from reptiles and parrots to turtles, rabbits, and goldfish, and the place was nicely packed with people; not to the extent that KaibaCorp had been, but a good number of people had walked down the same aisle and given them a funny look as they recognised the couple. Kisara smiled lightly as she finally got the small collar tied and lifted the puppy from Seto's arms.

"It fits!"

After all the manoeuvring to get the collar on the little husky, it seemed a pity it had to be taken off again to pay for. Seeing another person giving them one of those odd stares, Seto raised an eyebrow questioningly, smiling smugly as the man quickly looked in the opposite direction. So what? They were out together at the same time, and in a pet store; what was with the people of Domino today? Everyone that passed kept staring; was it really that weird to see him outside KaibaCorp? But Seto knew that wasn't the reason they were all staring; it was because he was laughing and smiling, and so was Kisara as Kai kept biting him. The odd phenomenon drawing all the stares and funny looks was that he was enjoying himself away from any computers and offices. There was no doubt that pictures of them would be all over the front pages tomorrow, but they hadn't seen any paparazzi yet. Leafing through a selection of leashes, Kisara frowned and spoke in a saddened voice.

"Oh, they have no muzzles small enough for her, Seto."

"Was that sarcasm?"

At his amused voice, Kisara giggled and nodded her head, but blushed as another person glanced their way. She hurriedly picked a leash from the rack and bent down to put it in the basket they were quickly filling up.

"Kai!"

The little husky, full of energy after her nap, decidedly leaped from her arms and set off at full sprint down the aisle, claws causing her to skid on the tiled floor. One look at each other and both she and Seto had left the basket and made after the troublesome puppy. Reaching the end of the aisle, the little ball of fluff was nowhere to be seen. Stopping as one of the store assistants appeared, Kisara let Seto go ahead and turned to the older lady.

"S-sorry to bother you, but you haven't seen a small h … husky puppy, have you? She's only a-about eight-weeks-old, red and white with blue e-eyes."

The middle-aged woman's name was Natsumi, or so her name badge said, and she smiled kindly as the girl stuttered her question; she looked a little worried as she blushed.

"I haven't honey, but I'll help you look. What's your puppy's name?"

"Kai and-"

Footsteps cut her off mid-sentence and Natsumi's attention switched to the approaching person. Turning on the spot, she saw Seto standing there with a small fleecy dog's bed in his arms and Kai sitting happily in the centre of it. Turning back to the store assistant, Kisara smiled guiltily.

"I-I think we found her …"

The middle-aged woman smiled again and nodded her head, walking off to resume whatever job she had been carrying out a few minutes ago.

"I think she wants this bed, Kisara."

At the sound of the name, Natsumi looked back to the young couple as they walked back down the aisle, away from her. Upon closer inspection, she recognised the young CEO of KaibaCorp to be sporting jeans and a hoody, for once looking like the boy he was, and the young French girl that had been all over the news only four days ago.

"Do we have everything then?"

"I think so …"

Just in case she made another break for freedom, Kisara scooped Kai out of the soft bed as Seto lowered it to the floor. Attempting to pick up the heavy basket, the young woman let go of the handle as a larger hand caught it.

"I've got it."

She was thankful for Seto taking the basket; it was much too heavy for her to manage on her own, but Kisara berated herself for letting another blush race to her cheeks; his hand had brushed against hers and her stomach had decided to mimic a rabble of butterflies.

There was a long enough queue at the till, so they were in for a wait as a little girl stood in front of them with her mother, holding her new goldfish in a water-filled plastic bag. As parents and little ones began to recognise her and Seto, Kisara blushed again and turned away, but that arm was back around her shoulders, along with a light squeeze.

She'd enjoyed today, despite the plotting of Mokuba, the hiding of Kai, the rain and the happenings at KaibaCorp. For the last few days, she'd spent so much time with Mokuba, Kisara had thought that Seto would never even venture from his study and now they'd just spent the whole day together, and she'd thoroughly enjoyed it. Many people had told her that Seto Kaiba was cold, heartless and too focused on his business to be even half-human … but he wasn't like that at all. He'd let them keep Kai, even though the puppy had an unhealthy fixation with biting him, he'd also forgotten about the duelists registering because he'd been in the living room, and then he'd helped the receptionists organise the registrations in lightning-time and spent the rest of the day with her … and with his arm around her.

The queue moved and a squawking could be heard; it sounded like one of the parrots had gotten loose, then again it could be a prop for the store's opening day. Waiting for the girl and mother in front of her to move, Kisara looked to the floor and yawned, her eyes working their sapphire way back up and noticing something on Seto's belt. Did all duelists carry their decks around with them? She'd never really gotten Duel Monsters; it had been massive a few years ago, but the fad had quietened down with a lack of tournaments.

"Seto, can I ask a favour?"

"Go for it."

"Ahh!"

Something rather large had just landed on her shoulder in a flash of red and gold that caused Kai to immediately perk-up and lunge for it. Well, she'd found the parrot causing the commotion, and it _had_ been a ruse for the opening of the store, for the handler soon arrived with a camera.

"Photograph for the memory?"

As the parrot's owner gestured to the camera, Kai made another lunge for the Macaw, but Seto grabbed her and nodded his head at the photographer. The large bird moved a little and settled on her shoulder as Kisara looked towards the camera, feeling Seto's chin atop her head; she hadn't noticed just how tall he was until today.

The queue moved and the parrot took off in a flap of red wings, in search of its next perch and picture shot. With a smile, the young man supposed to be handling the Macaw handed the Polaroid picture to Seto, who nodded his thanks as he kept the picture out of Kai's reach.

* * *

"What was that favour you wanted to ask?"

"Hmmm?"

They were back in the limo and Kai was thankfully out for the count; she'd managed to bite him another three times after the pet store; they should've gotten a pet-carrier at the store aswell, but the puppy was quite content when in Kisara's arms; she just didn't like him.

"Back at the pet store, you wanted to ask a favour, but then the parrot landed on you …"

Smiling, Kisara took the stick of chocolate pocky from her mouth; how come France didn't have cool snacks like pocky? All they had was bread, snails and frogs legs. She'd forgotten all about asking him because of the parrot scaring the life out of her.

"Well, seems I'm teaching you piano, I wanted to ask if you'd teach me how to play Duel Monsters, please?"

Compared to this morning, when Mokuba had literally flung them into the limo, Kisara seemed a completely different girl; she was talking to him with no stutter and no blush had coloured her cheeks for hours now. That and she did seem to have a sly side when she wanted, with a sarcastic comment here and there, and laughing whenever Kai bit him.

"You want to learn how to play? It's only a card game."

"The piano is only an instrument, but you wanted to know how to play."

Touché. And there was the sly side creeping in; a trait he liked. It was nice to know she could stand up for herself a little, though only with someone she was comfortable talking to.

"Okay then; you're teaching me piano, so I'll teach you Duel Monsters."

Kisara smiled widely as she placed the pocky back in her mouth. The receptionists had given them one of those funny looks when she and Seto had passed through the lobby a little while ago, and down into the KaibaCorp garage to grab a limo. This driver was called Hiroki, so Seto had told her before getting in. Unfortunately, because it was rush-hour and everyone was in the race to get home the quickest, Domino was clenched in a gridlock and it wouldn't free until they got out of the city; meaning it would take three to four times as long as it should to get back to the mansion.

"Can I see the photo?"

Only remembering it now, Seto reached into his jeans pocket and extracted the Polaroid, amazed he hadn't creased or crumpled it by accident. Taking care not to wake the sleeping Kai on her lap, Kisara undid her seatbelt and moved over to the middle seat beside Seto to view the picture.

"She was going to jump for it!"

Seto smiled as Kisara pointed to Kai in the photograph; the pup had been trying to jump from his arms and for the parrot. Having been her chew-toy all day, he would've genuinely pitied the parrot had she caught it.

Minutes dragged by as Hiroki tried to negotiate the limo through the vehicle-clogged streets of the city; horns beeped and lights changed as he stared out the tinted glass. Feeling a weight against his side, Seto looked next to him, only to see Kisara had dozed off with her head leaning against his arm, and Kai was staring up at him once more; her pale eyes showing an innocence he knew the puppy didn't possess.

"If I try to fasten her seatbelt, you're gonna bite me, aren't you?"

He couldn't believe he was actually talking to the husky pup, but Seto praised the fact that the driver partition was sound-proof. Kai stared up at him as if she would never dream of doing such a thing and, almost as if to answer, walked from Kisara's lap to his and curled up quite contently.

Using the chance before the little beast changed her mind, Seto carefully reached for Kisara's seatbelt and fastened it; though she shifted, she didn't wake, just turned into his chest a little more. With little all else to do, Seto placed his arm around her and swept a few strands of white back behind her ears, caught off-guard by the action; he really had to stop acting before thinking it through.

He'd had fun today, more fun than he'd had in a long time; Kisara was an easy person to be around. She didn't hang out of him like all the other girls had. He hadn't meant to put his arm around her shoulders the first time or sweep the hair behind her ear, it had just sort of happened and it felt right. Though maybe he wanted it to feel right because they had no choice in the matter ...

What kind of uncle did she have anyway? From what he could piece together, Kisara's parents were either dead or had given her to her uncle and aunt for raising. But even so, someone should have raised a red flag about this whole arranged-marriage thing. If Rebecca's grandfather turned up on the mansion's front step in the morning, saying Mokuba had to marry his granddaughter, Seto knew he would object … so what kind of guardian did Kisara have to not object about this whole thing, but to ship her out to Japan the next day? Roland had told him she'd been alone when getting off the plane, which meant none of her family had even accompanied her for the long flight. There had yet to be a phone-call to check up on her, or an e-mail or anything. He couldn't remember much about Jonathon Ashbrook, but Seto didn't like the man so far.

She'd asked him for permission to play the piano, which he still had to get a tuner for now that he came to think of it, and had also not only played a heavy rock song's melody on piano, but had sat and watched the videos of rock songs with Mokuba. Why was it she had to get used to a person before the blush faded and the stuttering stopped? And why was it he liked the time he'd spent with Kisara today, and didn't really want it to end? After a moment or two, Seto decided he had no clue.

There was nothing else to do, but to sit back and hope the gridlock cleared soon, preferably before Kai needed to go to the toilet, or decided to bite him again.

* * *

**A/n- If you made it all the way to the end then thank you so, so, so much for reading! XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

6th Revision - 22/June/2011 … Aaargh! Even after shaving off a few hundred words it's still not right. I will _never_ be completely happy with this chapter!


	8. Why?

**Author's Note:** Hi guys, sorry about the wait, but things won't be getting any faster I'm afraid: major end-of-year exams on the way. So, I'll update when I can, and thanks so much for the support on the last chapter! Anyways, this ran a bit long aswell, but I really hope you like it! XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

* * *

"_And I can barely look at you / But every single time I do"_

* * *

"Where's Kisara?"

"Out for a walk with Kai, why aren't you at KaibaCorp?"

"I took the day off … Mokuba, that's disgusting; clean it up …"

Seto watched as his brother looked up to him, surprise in his eyes, then started coughing and spitting bits of cereal everywhere. The teenager spent another few seconds coughing and choking on his cereal before swallowing what was left of the mouthful. Great, now there were cornflakes all over the counter.

"You took the day off?"

"Yeah, so?"

Picking up the cloth by the sink, Mokuba gave Seto a sideways glance as he started cleaning up the mess that had been his breakfast. Cornflakes and milk everywhere; that's what you get when you surprise someone at this time of the morning. It wasn't like his brother to take a whole day off from KaibaCorp like that, especially without a lot of nagging. Mokuba had his suspicions about the day off and the little trip around Domino yesterday.

"So … any reason for taking a whole day off. With no work whatsoever?"

"Like what?"

With a frown, Mokuba threw the cloth back into the sink and poured himself another bowl of cereal. It was no fun making insinuations when nobody caught onto them. Wasn't it obvious why he'd taken a whole day off? It was obvious to him anyway.

"Like a some_one_ maybe?"

With that, the teenager picked up that daily newspaper he'd been flicking through that morning and handed it to his big brother, a wide pleased smile across his face as Seto looked to the paper, not at all amused; why Mokuba followed the Premier League he would never know; football was football, why watch it when he could be doing something useful?

"Liverpool beat Arsenal, so?"

"Not the sports page, look at the front!"

And there plastered across it was a montage of images, but central to each was the identical couple at the focus. Standing outside KaibaCorp in the rain, then walking out of the building again, entering the pet store and then just walking around Domino, with a rather poignant picture of him buying the Pocky Kisara had been eating yesterday. Mokuba looked to one picture in particular; the one of Seto and Kisara walking back out of KaibaCorp, the rain having stopped and his brother's arm draped around the young woman's shoulders, both looking very much at ease with the contact.

Mokuba smirked down at his breakfast as his brother flicked through the paper. Maybe the shopping-trip had been for the best after all. And hell yeah, Liverpool had won! Football was exciting, thrilling and a great way to relax, maybe that's what Seto needed; to relax for a while. But with that thought, Mokuba looked to his brother; Seto wasn't looking at the paper anymore but instead studying his younger brother with a far-away look, something that made the teenager immediately uneasy.

"What?"

The older Kaiba glanced back down at the paper again, at the picture outside KaibaCorp … he wasn't sure how to tell Mokuba what was bugging him, truth was, he hadn't really slept last night because of it. That old man's face kept reappearing in his head, smirking as he looked to little Mokie, fully confident that the small child would hand over his 2% of the company to him, but the kid had helped his brother instead. He'd helped his brother back then, so why would he sell him out now? But who else could have told her?

"Did you mention him to Kisara?"

The youth didn't need anymore information. Seto never really mentioned his name anymore; the old man remained anonymous as often as possible in the mansion. Even the maids didn't mention him anymore, but a few things still remained to constantly remind of him, like the piano upstairs. They had been going to throw it out, but then Kisara had arrived and grown quite attached to it. Already knowing what his big brother was talking about, Mokuba took a breath and rattled off what had happened in one breath, as fast as he could with guilt swimming in his stomach.

"I … I didn't mean to, bro. See, I was out here and I don't think when I'm hungry; I just look for something to eat, so I didn't watch what I was saying … and I was telling Kisara about you converting the company to gaming and I blurted it out. I didn't mean to, but I did. But I saved myself real quick and made a joke out of it; as far as she knows, the old guy disappeared after you took control and the papers made up a rumour about the window, trying to blacken your name."

"She thinks it's just a rumour?"

"Mmmm hmmm."

And just why such relief was flooding him, Seto had absolutely no clue, but thinking back over the conversation he'd had with Kisara outside the KaibaCorp building yesterday, things seemed to make much more sense. She'd said it in a light voice and then referenced the newspapers; Mokuba's cover-up sounded completely credible in the paparazzi world, where he'd been linked to numerous women, and accused of countless crimes; all of which completely untrue, of course. Normally he didn't care about what the rumours did to his name but he was relieved that Kisara didn't know the truth. But why he was so relieved, he didn't know.

"I'm sorry Seto, I'm just not used to having a girl around here is all; I mean, the maids know the deal and don't mention it ..."

"Well, learn not to talk when you're hungry, Mokie!"

Breakfast was a definite no-go this morning as Mokuba spat his mouthful of cereal everywhere for the second time. Pushing the bowl away from him, the teenager gave up on eating it, instead staring out the door after his brother. Seto had had a wide smile on his face, genuinely happy, but that wasn't what had caused the youth to ruin his breakfast again … he'd called him _Mokie_.

"Are you alright, Mokuba?"

Along with her light voice questioning him, Kai's high-pitched yapping told Mokuba that Kisara was back from her walk. With a wide smile, he turned and nodded his head, aware of how unnaturally happy he appeared to so early in the morning, but Seto had just called him Mokie … he hadn't called him that since back in the orphanage.

* * *

"Minimum number of cards per deck is forty and the max is sixty, but that can change depending on the current tournament rules. The same for life-points; the usual is four thousand, but it can be anything that tournament officials dictate. Following?"

"Uh …"

Even before he asked it, Seto knew Kisara was utterly lost. Okay, so maybe he'd started a bit fast, but now she knew how he had felt with the piano on the first day. Mokuba was of little help; sprawled out on the sofa teasing Kai with one of the chew-toys they had bought yesterday. Smirking slightly, Seto looked to Kisara and started over again.

"Let me start again … what do you know about Duel Monsters?"

Now the blue eyes looked to the carpeted floor and a blush crept up into her cheeks, colouring them with a tint he hadn't seen in a while. How does one dumb Duel Monsters down for a beginner? Thinking for a second, Seto looked to the crude little paper gameplay mats on the floor; rectangles of differing colours for field cards, fusions, spell and trap, and then monsters. It was almost like a chessboard, the way the colours contrasted against each other - that was it!

"Kisara, do you know the objective of chess?"

"P-protect your king … but checkmate y-your opponent's."

He was making her blush and stammer a little; it was like a game of monopoly between the two ... one step back for Seto compared to yesterday; do not pass go. Watching them out of the corner of his eye, Mokuba moved the chew-toy out of Kai's reach again. It was weird; for once he was the one sitting on the sofa, and not on the ground. No, today the carpeted floor was reserved for Mr. Kaiba and Ms. Ashbrook, seated across from one another as opponents in a very slow duel.

At least now he exactly why Seto had taken the day off, and it was for a some_one_ alright. That workaholic wouldn't take a full day off even if he was dying, especially with a new tournament starting up after Christmas, but here he was teaching Kisara how to play Duel Monsters, with no qualms whatsoever, and he looked happy. If his older brother was happy, then Mokuba was happy for him.

"Exactly. Now think of your life-points as your king in chess; you have to protect them at all costs. You can sacrifice a few pawns and maybe a knight along the way: a few hundred or thousand points, but you have to be the one standing at the end with the points, just like a checkmate, okay?"

"I- I think so …"

"All you have to do is imagine your life-points are something really important to you, like your family, or even a memory of when you were small."

Two steps back, go straight to jail, do not pass go, do not collect any Yen. Something in that sentence had really given Kisara a reason to blush, about as deep in colour as the first day she'd arrived at the mansion. Time to draw attention away from that reason …

"And then you go Kage-Bunshin no Jutsu on their asses and destroy the enemy Shinobi!"

Despite the blush, Kisara couldn't help but laugh at Mokuba's actions; the teenager had just sat up on the sofa and proceeded to make an attempt at a Naruto-esque hand-seal. Although unexpected, it lightened the atmosphere again; even Seto had found that one amusing as he smirked, looking to his brother.

"Aren't you a little old to be watching cartoons?"

"Jeez Seto, and you call yourself Japanese? It's not a cartoon, it's _anime_! There's blood and cursing and ninjas with little knives and headbands and Kakashi Hatake!"

As Mokuba continued his rant about the guy named scarecrow, Seto looked to Kisara; she was still looking to Mokuba, laughing at his antics. The kid could be very good at distracting people when he wanted to, and it didn't go unnoticed; something he'd said when explaining life-points had caused Kisara to withdraw. Whatever it was, he'd have to try to avoid it in future.

Readjusting his sitting position, Mokuba made sure he had a clear view of his brother's hand; Kisara was only starting and would need all the help she could get … besides, there were no rules in this duel.

"Ah, you can't use them on a beginner, Seto! These cards are out-of-play!"

Seto blinked as six cards were suddenly yanked from his hand by Mokuba, leaving him with just one. He hadn't been intending to use them, hell, he'd be lucky if they even get to play one battle phase today; he had yet to explain the bare basics of the game as it was. But Kisara was looking at Mokuba's acquired hand with curiosity.

"Out-of … play?"

"Yup; see these six cards. If I declare them out-of-play then that means Seto can't use them for the entirety of the duel."

Kisara looked to the cards Mokuba was holding in his hand; three were identical, but another was blue, then a green coloured card and the final was a deep purple hue. Dragons adorned the three matching cards, each one with the same illustration; a silvery-white graceful dragon with blue eyes. The purple card had a similar picture, but this time the dragon had three heads, the green card had a circle on it, with four flames around the outside and then the blue card had a person on it, with a white helmet-like thing covering its head.

Looking up at his pilfered hand, Seto took note of the different card types and reclaimed his cards, laying them out on the floor between he and Kisara, with the illustrations facing towards her.

"You see these three brown ones? Brown cards mean that they're monster cards. These are called the Blue-Eyes White-Dragons and their power is indicated by these stars and their attack points down here…"

Mokuba watched as Seto pointed to the line of stars beneath the dragon's name and then down to the attack and defence points at the end of the card. Watching with intensity, Kisara picked up one of the Blue-Eyes, studying it. After a few more seconds, Kisara looked to the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, having already made the connection between it and the three Blue-Eyes.

"So, why is this one purple? Is it s-still a monster card?"

"Yeah it is, only this time it's a fusion type. You need a special spell card called "Polymerization" to combine all three Blue-Eyes, and together they form the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon."

Now she looked down to the two cards on the carpet that he hadn't explained. Blue eyes flitted over each of them for a few seconds before Kisara raised a hand and rested her chin on it, picking up the greenish card.

"What's this one for?"

No blush; take two steps forward, pass go and collect your Yen.

"That's a ritual card called "White Dragon Ritual", it's used to ritual summon a monster card; that blue one is the other half. Like in chess, you can sacrifice two pawns, in this case, Light class monsters to summon Paladin of White Dragon. When that's on the field, you can sacrifice it to special-summon a Blue-Eyes from your hand or deck."

"I- I think I kind of get it-"

"Owww!"

Kai had seen it fit to find a new chew-toy in the form of Mokuba's hand. Despite himself, Seto smiled at the little pup's actions; at least he wouldn't be her target anymore. Just as he was about to turn his attention back to the cards on the floor, Seto's mobile began to ring loudly.

"I'll be back in a minute."

Pulling the still-ringing phone from his pocket, Seto stood and made for the living room door. Mokuba quickly replaced his brother on the floor, escaping the biting Kai, and pulled out a few more spell and trap cards, along with Dark and Fiend class monsters.

* * *

Twenty-one months, just under two years at tops. He should've known the old man would pull something like this. Not only did he have to dictate _who_ he married, but also the length of the engagement. At least there was nothing in the will concerning Mokuba. Trust him to be the one their step-father would forever torment, but he'd never get to control Mokuba's life, at least that much was certain now.

KaibaCorp's board of attorneys had been combing through the old man's will since its first reading, hoping to find some loophole, but nothing had presented itself except for another stipulation that hadn't been noted the first time, that was why they had called him on his mobile earlier; that number was only to be used by staff when they couldn't contact him any other way, and only for important matters.

Twenty-one months and what was the reason for this abstract number? Because he'd turned twenty-one when the will had been read. How considerate of the old snake; he'd never acknowledged his birthday when he was alive. At least the press wouldn't get word of this; they'd gone mad enough when news had spread about the marriage, he didn't dare to wonder how frenzied it would be if they found out there was a time limit on the engagement.

But what about Kisara? He should tell her aswell.

A smirk pulled at the corner of Seto's mouth as his eyes fixed on the photo. Why had he placed his chin atop her head like that? And why had he agreed to the photograph in the first place? Years of avoiding the cameras of the paparazzi should have trained him well, and yet the front page of every Japanese newspaper and probably French and American had pictures of them out in the city yesterday, and not just one picture either; a whole collage of different locations and angles. But he hadn't seen any photographers aside form the parrot's owner … in retrospect, he hadn't been on the lookout for them either. Any other time he would have been, but he'd been too preoccupied yesterday to bother.

_Preoccupied with what?_

Silence was a bitch when it started questioning like that, and his study just waited for an answer as the cobalt eyes remained glued to the picture. Kisara had caught onto the idea of Duel Monsters pretty quickly, but she still had a lot to learn concerning the different types of monsters and then she could make up her own deck; he had plenty of cards, both common and rare to offer her. But at least she now knew how to subtract life-points and how to defend them.

And where had that speech about life-points come from? View them as something important? Now that he came to think of it, Seto had absolutely no clue; he'd always just viewed them as a king in chess, but now they were something else altogether.

_So who's your life-points?_

Mokuba. Definitely Mokuba. Hadn't he just proven that by ensuring the old man had no hold whatsoever over the teen's life?

_Mokuba and who?_

With poignant timing, the piano began to sound up the hall, deep chords falling heavily and meshing with the lighter solitary notes. He wouldn't have noticed that a few days ago, but now he did. Seto noticed many things about the piano now, things that he would have never bothered to notice had it not been for her; of how the pedals lengthened notes or performed a staccato on them depending on which you chose to use. He noticed that it was slightly out of tune, and he definitely needed to get a tuner to take a look at it before he forgot again. Seto noticed the peace it brought to the mansion when she played it … when he played it, the instrument sounded cumbersome and none too happy, but when Kisara played it, it sang out the notes.

_Your life-points. Mokuba and who? _

Why was he cooped up here instead of at work and doing something useful? And why did he leave the picture of himself, Kisara and Kai on his desk, to be seen whenever he walked in here?

* * *

**A/n-**** Well guys, please let me know what you thought. Thanks a million for reading guys and I hope you liked it! XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**Note:** The Premier League that I mentioned in this story has nothing to do with this year's League (2009), just in case I get a barrage of PMs shouting for Manchester United at the top of the table.

2nd Revision - 28/January/2011


	9. Visitors

**Author's Note:** Hi guys, I'm sorry for the long wait, but I only have a few days left in school and I want to make it count, so I'm sorry! Also, I would've had it up earlier, only there was a huge spider in my room and I cowered in the corner for a little, before drawing up a battle plan to defeat it; spider overcome! Thanks, as always, for the support on the last chapter guys! XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

* * *

"_It's gonna hurt when it heals too, / It'll all get better in time_"

* * *

She hadn't opened this box in months; it had been hidden in the very end of her travel cases deliberately. The photographs held no real significance, merely faces she was unfamiliar with. Kisara sighed as she crossed her legs and leaned back against the upright pillows, picking up a handful of the old photos and beginning to slowly flick through them.

The faces of four almost-strangers … well, five if she counted her own visage aswell. She had been infinitely younger and possibly a lot more regimented, but still smiling. The face was the only thing that had been hers if Kisara was being honest; the blonde-dyed hair was a façade, concocted by her family, or at least what stood in place for her family.

The other photographs were of two strangers to her eyes, and then of a young man with white hair and brown eyes, with his blonde-haired wife standing beside him, and a toddler held in the man's arms.

The door to her room creaked lowly as it was pushed open, slicing through the silence and making the young woman start slightly. A yap was heard as a little ball of fur scampered up to the bed in an excited frenzy. Smiling, Kisara bent down and picked up the little Husky, letting Kai settle on her lap; the puppy seemed to prefer sleeping around her, as opposed to her fixation with biting Seto and Mokuba. Running a hand gently over the small dog's soft fur, Kisara picked up one of the sticks of strawberry pocky from the box beside her; such a simple snack, biscuit and coating, but never had she come across it in France, or any of the other countries she'd lived in.

Sitting up, Kisara placed the photographs back into the small box, leaving Kai on the bed and entering the large walk-in wardrobe. After learning the basics of Duel Monsters last night, she'd gone to bed, but had spent the next few hour or so idly browsing around the large bedroom; the en-suite bathroom was finer and larger than most bathrooms she'd ever seen, with gleaming ceramics and beautiful tiling on the walls and floor. The wardrobe was another room unto itself, with shelves and railings on both sides, and racks of shoes; it was at the very back of one of the higher shelves, with some help from the chair from her bedroom's hardwood desk, that Kisara deliberately banished the small box of memories.

Now what to do? Kai was sleeping in the middle of her bed and the mansion seemed very quiet, with Seto cooped up in his study and Mokuba back to high-school for a few weeks before Christmas rolled around; it seemed hard to believe it was already mid-November. The piano was to be tuned tomorrow, so best not to strain the instrument too much before its revival. Pulling out a few of her college books, Kisara sighed as she sat at the elegant desk and idly flicked through a couple of the pages. She'd finished university last year, having been well ahead of her years, but why she still possessed the textbooks, Kisara didn't know. Then again, it was always nice to have something to fall back on when she was bored. A classical music, English and geography degree; the subjects her aunt and uncle had suggested best suited to aid the Ashbrook Estates; classical music because she was talented with a piano, English because it allowed her to communicate eloquently and geography to evaluate the demographics of a region and its future prospects if the Estates were to set up a branch there, at least that was what her uncle had said.

Her blue eyes had wandered from the book yet again, and now stared vaguely at the screen of the laptop that sat unused on her desk; she was just about computer-literate, but Kisara felt somewhat jealous of Seto. He could be cooped up for hours running over business matters, and she just wished that all the mumbo-jumbo of numbers and shorthand terms would make sense to her. The notion of being able to sit down at a computer and fluently comprehend the skeleton basis of a business seemed attractive to her, but Kisara shook her head; she didn't do that, what she did was play a complicated musical instrument, present herself well and leave the business end of things to her uncle. Sighing, Kisara looked to the other item that lay on her desk; a small pile of cards - her deck. The young woman couldn't help but giggle lightly as she cast her thoughts to her family; if her aunt or uncle even suspected she was _wasting time _playing a card game, they'd both have strokes. That aside, she actually liked Duel Monsters more than she'd expected to.

Mokuba had helped her select the forty-seven cards now included in the deck; she'd picked the first few she'd liked and he had made suggestions on how to compliment them with other monster, spell and trap cards. He had told her that it served a duelist better if their deck wasn't too large; a large deck ensured a wide variety of monsters, but also meant that the chance of drawing a convenient card when needed was drastically reduced. Mokuba was actually quite accomplished at Duel Monsters, but Kisara noticed how the teenager left the dueling to his brother, preferring to just tag-along on Seto's name. For some reason, she admired the sixteen-year-old for not becoming resentful, as others his age might. He was always the Kaiba brother in the shadow with Seto in the limelight, or maybe it was that Seto kept his little brother out of the limelight.

Such things hadn't mattered back in France; she'd lived in the scenic country, surrounded by acres upon acres of vineyards … but only concrete surrounded her in Japan and it didn't seem quite as efficient as the grape-vines had been at keeping the paparazzi away.

Just in time to interrupt her thoughts, the doorbell of the mansion sounded. After a few seconds of silence, it went again; Seto probably couldn't hear it in his study, either that or he was too busy, and the maids were busy in the on the third floor.

* * *

"Well, if you'd remembered to register Mai, then we wouldn't even be here, dimwit!"

"Just one more word, dice-boy-"

"Shush, someone's coming!"

Joey and Duke ceased their arguing as Téa heard footsteps and took a step back from the door. They shouldn't even be here; the registration day had been last week, but Joey being Joey, had forgotten to register Mai for the dueling tournament … a fact the blonde harpie hadn't been all too pleased with after finding out that Vivian Wong would be competing. The two women had become good friends after the KaibaCorp Grand Prix, even beating the Meikyū Brothers in a duel on the Great Wall of China. There were going to be some very high-profile duelists attending, or so the excited word on the street suggested. Since last week, Domino had been alive with rumours concerning the newest dueling tournament; although Kaiba himself wouldn't be competing he'd invited duelists of such calibre as the Schroeders, Vivian and a vague whisper of even Pegasus taking part.

The heavy door creaked lowly as it was opened before the three, with all eyes expecting one of Kaiba's maids, or even Roland; Téa had made sure to personally call ahead and apologise to Kaiba for Joey's lack of memory. But it wasn't one of the maids, or the ever shade-wearing Roland who stood on the other side of the door. She seemed to look so different from the girl who had been at the KaibaCorp building last week; with her hair tied up in a loose, untidy bun and a few stray strands falling down here and there.

Two seconds, and the blush had emerged from its lair to claim the young woman's cheeks and her eyes automatically darted to the ground.

"Hi there Kisara, sorry to gatecrash like this, but is Seto in?"

Téa had placed herself in front of Joey and Duke; for some reason, Joey hadn't quite gotten the hint when Mokuba had mentioned Kisara was shy, as seen at KaibaCorp and right now as he blatantly stared … then again Duke was no better. She supposed she was lucky Tristan hadn't come or poor Kisara would have the three to deal with.

"Oh, umm … y-yes, he is."

Mercifully, Roland appeared behind her and took charge of the situation; taking Duke and Joey up to the study. Téa stayed downstairs to wait for her friends; a fact Joey didn't seem happy with as he'd been banking on getting her to talk to Kaiba; the company-owner seemed civil with Téa, and he doubted rich-boy would be very happy with his forgetfulness … then again, it couldn't be any worse than Mai's wrath.

Not knowing what else to do, Kisara done what she had always done at the chateau when her uncle had colleagues or acquaintances over; smiled politely and offered refreshments, but something told her that Japan wasn't quite like France … so wine would be out of the question.

* * *

"Are you settling in alright here? I mean, it must be very different from France."

Téa smiled as she spoke, noticing how Kisara seemed to know her way around the kitchen pretty well as she found the teabags on the first try, and then the cutlery drawer soon after, locating a teaspoon.

"It's a b-bit different, yes … b-but I like Japan."

Handing one mug to the other girl, Kisara sat and returned the smile; she wasn't use to this at all. Normally people only looked her way, smiled and carried on to converse with someone else; someone who didn't seem so out of place. That said, she liked Téa, it might be the girl's profession in ballet, but there was something about the brunette that put her at ease.

After a few more minutes of unusually-comfortable small-talk, a yap foretold of Kai's arrival in the kitchen, only the small puppy was carrying a sheet of paper in her mouth as Téa picked her up. Laughing lightly, Kisara took the sheet from the small pup's mouth and scanned over it. It was a list of names, with a "Mai Valentine" at the very end. Kisara looked back to Téa and allowed a small smile to emerge; it looked like the updated list of tournament duelists, and a noise from upstairs suggested that Kai had just taken it from Seto's study. A few seconds later and footsteps could be heard descending the stairs.

Téa rolled her eyes as she heard Joey in the foyer. She handed Kai back to Kisara and headed for the kitchen door, sorry she couldn't cuddle the puppy for a few minutes more. Stopping just short of the door, Téa looked back to the French girl.

"Kisara, I'm going shopping tomorrow, so if you want to come along you're more than welcome, or I could just show you around Domino if you like?"

She was asking her to come along. What was she supposed to say? Her mind came up with a few different excuses; the piano would be tuned tomorrow, so she could stay and play it for a while and get bored again ... or she could take Kai for a long walk around the mansion's grounds and then come back and be bored for the rest of the day. Even as her mind thought up a few more reasons not to go, her mouth had bypassed her brain and her voice had answered.

"I'd like that, Téa."

"Okay then, I'll meet you at KaibaCorp tomorrow morning, bye!"

And with that, the upbeat brunette was gone form the kitchen, leaving Kisara to sit by herself, somewhat unsure of what she'd just agreed to. Was she really that bored in the mansion? Then again, a girl could only wander around the labyrinth-like house for so long before the novelty wore off, and she'd been there coming up on two weeks now. Had it really been that long already?

* * *

**A/n-****Thanks for reading guys and waiting patiently aswell! XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**Note: **The "Meikyū Brothers" are known as the "Paradox Brothers" in the English anime. They featured early in the anime, but were seen again for a few seconds in the last Japanese episode of Yu-Gi-Oh! Vivian Wong (KC Grand Prix) and Mai are seen dueling them on the Great Wall of China.


	10. Dreams

**Author's Note:** Hi again guys! Thanks, as always for the support on the last chapter and I really hope you like this one! XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

* * *

"_You can take away all my love, what do I need it for?"_

* * *

Kisara had never noticed how hectic the mansion could become in the mornings, but maybe that was because she was usually out for a walk in the grounds with Kai at this time.

But this morning there were people running every which way; Mokuba had woken up late and was now tearing around the huge house trying to locate his school textbooks, finish the end of some homework and manage to eat a breakfast, most of which at the same time. Seto had been glanced a few times, as he'd had an unexpected house-call from a few of KaibaCorp's directors and was now upstairs, running through business matters with them.

And she was quite surprised at herself aswell; not only running about after Kai, who had decided to scamper off with Mokuba's homework whilst the youth had wolfed down some cereal, but also managing to answer the door to the intimidating KC officials because the maids had been run off their feet. All in all, a morning in the Kaiba mansion wasn't as peaceful as Kisara had first believed it to be.

"So, what do think of life here, now that the honeymoon period has worn off?"

She didn't know which startled her more; the fact that one of the maids had addressed her directly instead of merely shooting her a look, or the use of the word _honeymoon_, which conjured up connotations involving marriage. With a blush, Kisara wrestled Mokuba's homework from Kai and laid it on the table, looking back to the maid; it was one of the trio who normally giggled together. Mokuba had told her the girl's name a few days ago … Akiko? Akara? Ooooh, Japanese names all sounded the same to her when compared to French ones.

"I- It's a bit rushed, a-alright … I'm very sorry, b-but I've forgotten your name …"

"It's Akari, Miss Ashbrook."

Kisara nodded her head upon hearing this, rolling her eyes towards the heavens; yeah, that was the name Mokuba had told her. The young maid laughed, but it wasn't the amused giggle from last week, it was a more friendly chuckle of sorts, and then exited the kitchen as the front doorbell rang; most likely more KaibaCorp people.

"Thanks Kisara, can I ask you something?"

Mokuba was looking at her now, having retrieved his homework from the table and storing it safely in his schoolbag, away form Kai. Smiling, the young French woman placed the puppy on the floor and nodded in response to Mokuba's question, grateful that Téa had called last night and arranged for them to meet up in Domino at eleven …

"It's your turn, Mokuba."

Catching on, the teenager laughed as he pulled on his pair of trainers, having to fight with Kai for the lacers; poor Seto still didn't know what the whole 'your turn' thing was about.

"Would you mind looking at this, and letting me know if it's right? My teacher's a real pain …"

The youth trailed off as his brother's fiancée nodded and walked around to his side of the table, not entirely sure of what was being asked of her. But Kisara was quick to smile as she read down through his French homework.

* * *

A knock at the door of the study made him look up, along with the four men leafing through some fiscal extensions for the new dueling tournament. Things had definitely caught up on them this morning; the mansion had been pretty peaceful since Kisara's arrival, but that had been because he'd managed to get ahead of schedule prior to the whole arranged marriage saga. Today, everything had returned to normal with unexpected visits, Mokuba getting up late and the maids being rushed around the house.

"Come in."

Seto looked back down to the report on his desk; he had read through it about a dozen times, but not a single printed word had been processed by his brain. His thoughts kept returning to downstairs, especially when he'd heard both Kisara and Mokuba running after Kai and shouting her name, and the doorbell ringing a few minutes ago. He'd rather be down there and helping out in _his_ house, than cooped up here … and he wanted to see how she was coping with the rushed atmosphere.

"Mr. Kaiba, a messenger just arrived from SchroederCorp and delivered an invitation for you and Ms. Ashbrook."

"Thanks, Akari."

The young maid approached his desk and laid the small, elegant envelope on it, bowing lightly to the four officials and turning to take her leave from the occupied study.

It took Seto another twenty minutes to convince the officials that they didn't need anymore budget extensions; the tournament would start after Christmas, and he had no doubt that retail would get a boost over the holiday period.

"That should conclude our business this morning, gentlemen."

The four older men nodded and stood from their seats, handing back the reports and each heading for the door of the study. The new tournament looked set to raise KaibaCorp's name even higher in the gaming world, with all the big names having confirmed their entrance, and guests from all over the world.

Glancing to the clock on the toolbar of his computer screen, Seto took note of the time; Mokuba should be heading out pretty soon if he planned on making first period. Picking up the small envelope Akari had left, the young CEO followed the exiting men out of his study and showed them to the front door, thankful that the meeting hadn't been the drawn-out ordeal it usually was.

God only knew what this invitation thing was for, but knowing the German it was probably a big key event of some sort. The Schroeders had only finished the construction of their newest branch about two weeks ago. It would be their first one in Asia and Seto was not happy abut it at all; he hadn't wandered over to Germany and the Schroeders' HQ city to set up another KaibaCorp, so why should the pink-haired idiot intrude on his territory?

Felling a tug on the end of his trousers, he looked down, smirking as Kai growled and shook her small head from side to side, the hem of his trousers gripped by her teeth. Picking up the puppy, and somehow managing to keep his fingers safe, Seto glanced at his watch; why wasn't Mokuba gone already?

"See here, Mokuba; you need to take away this extra e, otherwise it means you're writing as a girl. Overall, it's fine, just some of the sentences could be spun around; they're fine in English, but they read backwards in French. And the phrase you're looking for here is 'in the eyes of society' or _aux yeux de la société_ in French_._"

That was Kisara's voice, speaking more words than he'd ever heard her produce in one go. Quietly, Seto walked up to the kitchen door and looked in; Mokuba was sitting at the table, black pen in hand and rapidly writing down what Kisara had just said. She sat beside him, a red pen in her hand, having underlined where he was going wrong. Not too keen to interrupt, Seto leaned against the wall and watched for a few seconds. She laughed, she smiled and she looked happy. Maybe the return of the usual, hectic routine hadn't thrown her all that much; one of the directors had even mentioned that she'd answered the door to them.

"Mokuba, you're going to be late …"

Despite himself, Seto had spoken; either that or the teen would miss first period altogether. Violet eyes shot up and locked onto the clock. In a matter of seconds Mokuba had hastily shoved books and notes into his bag before rushing for the door, a slice of toast in his mouth.

"Thanks Kisara!"

The young woman smiled, giving way to a yawn midway; it was only nine in the morning, and already the mansion had had so many visitors. She dreaded to think what the rest of the day would hold in store.

"It's okay; you survived rush-hour, congratulations."

She giggled lightly as Seto spoke and lowered Kai to the floor. She watched as he walked closer, the puppy determined to latch onto his trousers.

"You mean, it won't be that busy again?"

"No, not until tomorrow morning anyway … and just wait for the weekend."

His eyebrows raised as he said this, making her laugh all the more; something told Kisara that Seto wasn't kidding but she couldn't help being amused either. Since the shopping trip to Domino on the day of Kai's arrival, it was like a wall had been knocked between them. Kisara rarely stuttered when talking with him, although some things might trigger a blush. He had yet to figure out what exactly that trigger was, but at least the initial awkwardness had been overcome.

"Are you okay for a limo into Domino?"

Yeah, initial awkwardness was gone, but that didn't mean he knew how to converse with an attractive young woman just yet. Maybe avoiding the topic with small talk was a much better way to go, for now anyhow.

"Yes, Roland gave me Kosuke's number …"

Kisara lifted up her mobile phone to emphasize her words, but what caught Seto's eye was the background of the silver touch-screen phone. Two faces were smiling back, two faces he recognised; one was currently living with him and the other he hadn't seen in over three years, but had spoken to on the phone only days ago.

"Is that … Vivian Wong?"

Kisara looked to her phone, having forgotten which background she was using, and nodded her head, looking back to Seto. He had walked over to her side of the table and was standing behind her, looking at the phone.

"See, I took Geography at a master's level in University and got to spend a year in China studying the country. I lived with Vivian over there. We were best friends …"

Blush noted as Kisara trailed off. Judging by her tone of voice, Seto guessed something had happened to that friendship since the picture had been taken. In the image, the two were standing close, with wide smiles.

"You do know she's taking part in the new tournament, don't you?"

Maybe it was best he told Kisara this; it felt like there had possibly been a bust-up. Vivian had neglected to mention Kisara when he had called her and invited her to the dueling tournament … surely the whole world had heard of the arranged marriage by now.

Her blue eyes had shot up to lock with his, not really expressing anything except surprise for a few seconds, and then Kisara broke out into a wide smile rivalling her happy face in the picture on her mobile phone.

"Really?"

Seto nodded his head; so maybe there hadn't been a fight, judging by Kisara's reaction. But still, why would best friends not even ask about each other? Women were confusing at the best of times, but Seto had a feeling he was way in over his head. Only now remembering the small envelope in his left hand, the young man opened it and scanned down through the text; good guess on his part earlier. According to the invitation, to celebrate the opening of their Japanese branch of SchroederCorp, Zigfried was throwing an "A-List" formal evening at the new building. Why did new branches always have to open with such big events?

"Kisara …"

Sighing, Seto handed the invitation over; he never held much pleasure for this type of thing. It would be a long evening full of high-profile company owners and women flaunting their jewellery and dresses. But to not show up, would mean bad reflection on KaibaCorp.

* * *

"I can't believe we bought so little!"

Téa laughed as she said this, looking down to the lonely bags standing by the coffee table in the KaibaCorp lobby. Hours of shopping had culminated in a very small amount of clothes bought. Instead, the two girls had spent the afternoon talking and walking about Domino … but mostly talking. Kisara had met Yugi Muto today; he seemed nice and he and Téa made a cute couple, but it only seemed to drive home the fact that she was engaged and knew nothing of the workings of a relationship. Mokuba and Rebecca had passed them at lunch time, with Rebecca hanging out of her boyfriend's arm.

"I feel so greedy; you should see the dresses and shoes in my wardrobe, Téa."

"Oooh, which one will you wear Friday?"

Kisara shrugged her shoulders as an answer; she didn't really want to go all that much. This Friday night was the formal event at Zigfried's new Schroeder building and she and Seto had been invited, as he'd shown her that morning. To be honest, big-scale things with lots of coverage didn't really suit her. And worse than the sheer amount of press coverage the evening would receive, the emphasis on her and Seto would be high aswell.

She and Téa had passed so many couples today, and they weren't engaged, yet shared a level of personal knowing and intimacy she wanted. Maybe it was wrong though, to want so much from a farce. Kisara knew what her mind wanted, but her heart said no; how could two people ever learn to love one another, and that had been proven this morning when they had shared the empty kitchen and barely a conversation had dared intrude.

She wanted to be able to accept a peck on the cheek, as Téa had from Yugi earlier, to hang out of a lover's arm as Rebecca had with Mokuba. To pass hand-in-hand with a partner as many couples had done so today. Every little girl dreams of her wedding day and finding Mr. Right. The first meeting; maybe a bump in the street, or the chance spilling of coffee onto a stranger. The arrangement to meet somewhere, someplace another time and the weeks and months of romance and total comfort between two people. Then he'd drop down on bended knee and produce the perfect engagement ring, whether it be modest or spectacular, it would be total perfection. To say yes and embrace that man was the climax moment, and then to tell all family and friends.

The arrangement of the wedding, setting a date and picking the dress of your dreams. All little girls dreamt of such things, and then saying "I do" at the alter and walking back down the aisle as one married couple, sharing name and lives. Most little girls dreamed of such things, but to Kisara Ashbrook it would remain a dream. People had to fall in love with each other, not simply move in and hope it would happen.

A more upbeat girl like Téa or Rebecca would take the first step and make it clear what they wanted, but she didn't do that. She was to marry one of the most sought-after young men in the world and be forever grateful that someone would take her at all.

"Kisara, you okay?"

Her blue eyes blinked back to the present, seeing Téa to be looking at her with concern. Flashing what she knew was a convincing smile, the older girl nodded.

"I'm fine."

* * *

**A/n-**** Thanks a million for taking the time to read my story guys! Also, if there's something you'd like to see happening in the next few chapters, then let me know! Thanks again! XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

2nd Revision - 28/January/2011


	11. Practice

**Author's Note:** So sorry for the wait guys; finals are on at the moment so I'm really sorry if this is a bit thin. I had every intention of starting at the SchroederCorp bash, but I got side-tracked; next chapter will be the big bash, I promise! I'm a little bit ambiguous about this chapter, so all type of feedback is welcomed! Enjoy guys! XxxxxxxxxxxX

* * *

"_What if I told you it was all meant to be?"_

* * *

He hated the pink-haired idiot and he hated going to pointless events like this; he could have gotten ahead on some KaibaCorp reports, or maybe even enjoyed watching television for once in a while. But no; he had to go to SchroederCorp and pretend to be welcoming and accepting of a new gaming business in _his _HQ city.

With a groan of annoyance, Seto placed the brief he was reading back down on his desk; he had read through it a few times, but the information wasn't being comprehended; his eyes merely scanned over the words, not taking any of it in.

Mokuba had been up early for school today, in order for Kisara to look over his homework. Although not overly-thrilled that the teen was using his fiancée as a tutor, Seto couldn't complain about Mokuba's French grade improving in the last week; he'd worked his way up from a C to a B all because of Kisara's help.

And yet he felt guilty every time she did something helpful like that, or played the finally re-tuned piano. For the first couple of days, maybe he hadn't realised it, but Seto knew what guilt felt like; the horrible sickly feeling he had experienced when Noah had brainwashed Mokuba. _Why _he was feeling guilty, the young man had only discovered yesterday at the KaibaCorp building. One of the receptionists at the front desk had gotten engaged a few days ago and had been idly chatting with her colleague; the picking of a wedding gown had been top of the conversation, but the two women had soon progressed to other topics, such as finally finding 'the one'.

'The one' had never existed in his future plans; run KaibaCorp smoothly, get construction underway for the Dueling Academy and … well that was as far as his plans had stretched. Never had Seto Kaiba imagined he would get married, let alone so young. But apparently all little girls dreamed about their wedding day, or at least that was what he'd heard. Wasn't marriage supposed to be about love and trust and all that jazz? He'd never seen much of wedlock's workings whilst growing up, so Seto did what he normally done when curious; no more than two seconds and the internet had returned countless definitions of the word 'marriage'.

"_Marriage is an institution in which interpersonal relationships (usually intimate and sexual) …_"

He didn't need to read any further than that; intimate and sexual never worked well together in his life. Plenty of the sexual part, but none of the intimacy, and that was the way he liked to keep it. Girls came and went from the halls of the mansion; glimpsed during the night, maybe even heard on occasion, but they were never to be seen by morning. Marriage was overrated in his opinion.

And that right there was why Seto Kaiba was currently feeling rather guilty; Kisara had probably been dreaming of her wedding day for years, only to be told at twenty that she couldn't start looking for 'the one' because he had already been chosen for her eight years ago. And as much as he wanted to blame his old man and Jonathon Ashbrook for ruining her dreams, Seto blamed himself aswell. If he were being honest, the girls that made it to the mansion were easy pick-ups. All he had to do was stand in one place for more than ten seconds and he had a companion for the night … but Kisara was a different story.

"_Intimacy: the feeling of being in a closely personal association and belonging together. Intimacy, meaning to know everything about a partner; secrets, fears, aspirations and needs. To be completely at ease and comfortable in the presence of a lover._"

The girls he picked up for the nights he needed some warmth beside him were _easy_; they were pretty in their own right and knew it was only for one night. Kisara was beautiful and well-educated, just like the girls who threw themselves at him. But she was different. Maybe it was because she didn't jump at the chance to be with him as most young women did, but there was that _something_ about her. It was layer upon layer; the blush covered all, as did the quiet and shy personality … but underneath that was a sly side he had only glimpsed for a little while in Domino with her.

He'd never wanted to know anything else about the girls that spent one night in the mansion, but he did with Kisara; he wanted to learn what made her laugh and smile like she had that day in the city.

Seto blinked as he noticed he had picked up that picture yet again; himself, Kisara, Kai and the parrot in the pet store. Why he kept it on his desk, the young man didn't know but it had gained an odd look from one of the company officials the other morning. Putting the small Polaroid back in the same questionable place, Seto closed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair before standing from his desk; maybe stretching his legs would clear his head.

* * *

Light blue or dark? Kisara placed both dresses on her bed as she hovered between the two. The white gown that had been next to them in the wardrobe was definitely out of the count; it looked too much like a wedding dress for her liking and would surely raise the topic.

There were some dress shops which had a smaller selection of gowns than her wardrobe; the sheer number of dresses was overwhelming. Each one was of much better quality than the formal wear she had left back in France and, by looking at the names on the labels, much more expensive too.

Why did SchroederCorp have to throw a big bash to open up? Wouldn't it be just as easy to open and start work without all the expenses? Even as she thought this, Kisara knew it was only her mind trying to avoid going. Big-scale events weren't exactly her forte and Zigfried was bound to throw something noticeable and flamboyant to gain the attention of the press.

Sighing, the young woman turned her back on both of the dresses; she had hours yet to decide which one to wear. With a sudden thought, Kisara picked her mobile phone up from the desk and held it over the two dresses, using the camera to take a picture and send it to Téa, along with a text enquiring "which one do you think?". She'd become good friends with Téa since their shopping excursion at the start of the week, with the duo meeting up twice more since then; it was nice to have another female to talk to.

"C'mon Kai …"

The little puppy's ears immediately pricked up as she heard her name; bounding across the room to get under the young woman's feet and out into the hall before her. From there, Kai sped her way towards the staircase that led downstairs. Following the little husky at a walking pace, Kisara allowed her mind to wander as she placed her mobile in the pocket of her hoody and awaited Téa's reply.

They'd met up yesterday evening and just walked about Domino for a while, with the brunette pointing out various places and telling the stories that went with them. She'd also met Mai Valentine last night; the tall, busty blonde. To be honest she had seemed intimidating at first, and definitely not a woman to get on the wrong side of, but the blonde had quietened down once Téa had introduced them; Mai had come across quite friendly after that.

Oh, no … Kisara completed a u-turn as she spotted Kai at the foot of the stairs; the puppy was still in the throes of being house-trained and Mokuba had gotten halfway there. She scratched at the door if she needed to make a number two, but with a number one ... the hard marble floor of the downstairs foyer was still her favourite, as the pup had just shown. One door, two doors … door number three on the right side of the hall; bathroom. Kisara took the roll of toilet paper from its holder and headed back towards the stairs.

As she neared the top step the young woman heard a heavy thump, along with Kai's excited yapping and a groan. Rushing the last few feet to the stairs, Kisara looked down the flight, only to be met by a most unusual sight.

Seto blinked once or twice with confusion as he stared up at the high ceiling; one minute he'd been walking from the kitchen, intending on going back up to his study, and the next he was laying flat on his back. How exactly did that happen?

A stifled giggle made him look sideways, towards the stairs he had been heading for only seconds ago. Kisara clamped a hand over her mouth as she tried to keep a straight face, the roll of toilet paper evidently too late to prevent an accident. Seeing the roll of tissue and only now identifying the telltale odour on the air, Seto put one and one together, then turned his threatening gaze to little cute harmless Kai, who made a run for the kitchen.

With her straight face just about holding, Kisara quickly descended the rest of the stairs, dropping the roll of toilet paper and walking over to where Seto lay on the ground. Just keep breathing normally, she told herself, and try not to laugh.

"A-are you a-alright?"

There was no blush this time; the stammer was caused by the laughter she was trying to hold in. Nodding his head, Seto groaned yet again; company CEO taken down by puddle of puppy urine … it made a catchy headline. And with that thought in his head, the young man smirked and let loose a laugh. The sound of his laugh only served in breaking her straight-face as Kisara placed a hand over her mouth, letting the giggles take over completely. Well, at least Seto now knew one of things that made her smile and laugh; him lying in a pool of puppy-pee.

"N-need a hand?"

More giggles escaped as she outstretched a helping hand, still laughing with amusement. Seto nodded as he too laughed lightly and took hold of her hand; it seemed so small in his. Standing up, he almost found himself back on the floor as his foot slipped in what remained of the puddle. Laughing all the more, Kisara instinctively clasped a hand onto his forearm, steadying him as she remained standing outside the puddle. Smirking a thanks, Seto took a step towards her and escaped Kai's present.

It was only as he stood before her that Kisara once again noticed how much Seto towered over her. Mirroring her right hand, her left rested on his right forearm and the young French woman stood on her tip-toes. Seto raised a questioning eyebrow when she looked up to him. With a blush Kisara dropped down to her normal height.

"I w-was trying to guess h-how high … the shoes should be; for tonight."

"Well in that case, shouldn't you be standing closer to get the right height? It's no good standing that far away."

It was only then that Kisara noticed she had been standing an arm's length away from him. Before she could make an excuse to retreat back upstairs, Seto had stepped forward and her feet had responded by resuming the tip-toe position. The only difference being that no arm's length separated them this time.

It definitely wasn't the close proximity of another person that made her blush, Seto could tell. Kisara didn't blush as he stood close; she merely averted her gaze to the side, but he didn't. They'd no doubt end up doing it sometime tonight, so Seto reckoned they might aswell get the awkwardness out of the way …

"W-what are you d-doing, Seto?"

Kisara blinked as she felt a light, carefully-placed hand upon her lower back.

"We'll end up dancing tonight at Schroeder's thing, so we might aswell get some practice in; you do know how to dance, don't you?"

With an indignant look, Kisara nodded; of course she knew how to dance, and maybe he was right. If she was used to dancing with him, maybe there would be less blushing tonight; probably not, but it was worth a try. At least there was no one watching now; there would be many eyes tonight. Smiling, Kisara placed one of her hands lightly on his shoulder, with the other held in his.

No music played, but that didn't stop the couple from making a few rounds of the large foyer, along with trodden toes and laughs at each other.

* * *

"Akari! Aka-"

"Shush!"

Another of the maids, Aki, spotted her friend to be looking out over the banister of the stairs and down into the foyer below. Unimpressed by the hissed whisper, Aki approached her friend with a narrowed gaze.

"Where have you been? Is the laundry-"

Aki was quietened as Akari placed a hand over her mouth and pointed down over the banister. Now curious, the second maid leaned forward and looked down into the foyer aswell, lowering her laundry basket as she smiled. It was nice to see Ms. Ashbrook without her customary blush, and it had been a long time since Mr. Kaiba had looked so happy, let alone laughing as freely as he was.

"They look perfect together."

Akari nodded as her friend spoke; the engaged couple seemed to compliment each other. The laundry could wait for a while.

It was Roland to next approach the pair, having been fruitlessly searching for his employer; the young man was usually in his study, so he had waited there a generous ten minutes and still no sign of Seto Kaiba. The head of KaibaCorp's security had been intending on booking a few days free of work, but would have to wait until his young boss re-appeared to do such. He had been heading towards the stairs when he heard the two maids speaking in hushed tones. Maybe they knew where the CEO had gotten to; nothing happened in the mansion without the younger maids knowing.

"Have either of you-"

"Shhh!"

Roland immediately ceased his speaking as the two young women turned on him, both shushing him at the same time. The younger one, Akari, silently beckoned him over and pointed down into the foyer. Roland walked over and looked down to where they were pointing, only to see two people dancing to silence, stopping every now and then to laugh at a stepped-upon toe. So that was where Mr. Kaiba had disappeared to. Smirking, Roland turned to the two young maids and began ushering them away; he guessed booking time off could wait, and Akari and Aki had better things to be doing, like actual work and not espionage.

* * *

"Sorry again …"

"It's okay."

Kisara laughed again as she apologised for another trodden toe, having been stood on the same amount of times. She _could_ dance, but was used to doing so in high heels, not the flat sneakers she was wearing right now; well that was her excuse anyway.

As they stopped moving for a second, laughing at yet another missed step, Kisara noticed her hands had moved; one had been on Seto's shoulder and the other had been held in his, but now one graced each side of his neck and both of his rested on her lower back, with no clue how they had worked their way there. As she remained on tip-toes, the young woman tried to avert her gaze, but it was held in place by his cobalt eyes, dark brown strands falling down over them.

Now his hand was at the left side of her neck. The natural yet intimate movement took her slightly aback. She blushed vividly; Kisara blushed because of how close they were, of Seto dropping his head lower and her straining to the very tips of her toes, she blushed that this would be her first time kissing the man she was to marry and blushed at how cliché it seemed; dancing so romantically to silence.

_Beep_-_beep_!

Moment gone, eyes averted, hands dropped and tip-toes abandoned as the text message alert rang out sharply. Smirking and taking a step back, Kisara sated the nervous butterflies in her stomach and pulled out her guilty mobile phone; Téa had answered her query from earlier. The light blue dress.

"I'll t-take Kai for a walk …"

Seto nodded as she walked away from him and towards the kitchen to find the elusive puppy and her leash; he should probably get back to his study and try to properly read that brief from earlier. Avoiding the puddle that had already claimed him once, the young man headed for the stairs.

"Seto?"

His foot was on the first step when she spoke, with him halting and looking to her. Kisara faltered for a second; whatever courage she'd had a few seconds ago had just run for the horizon, abandoning her to silence as her mind raced; it had only been Monday that she'd berated herself for wanting more from the marriage; she had convinced herself she could never feel anything like love for him … and now Seto had just turned the tables with his quiet laugh and his clear blue eyes.

And now he was looking at her expectantly, those very eyes somewhat masked by brown yet again. Kisara smiled as Kai ran into the foyer, from the kitchen. When she looked back up, having lifted the puppy, he was already half-way up the stairs. But her voice had finally found the words that had run away.

"Thank you ... for the dance."

Blue and brown looked back to her, along with a smirk and small nod.

"You're welcome."

* * *

**A/n-**** So let me have it then; I know this chapter wasn't the best and I'm really sorry about that. Once these exams are finished with, I promise I'll make it up to you! Thanks a million for taking the time to read it guys! XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

3rd Revision - 7/February/2011


	12. SchroederCorp

**Author's Note:** Hi guys! Exams are almost over so the next few chapters should be improved! Once again I kinda got a bit side-tracked with Seto at the beginning so the SchroederCorp bash will be concluding in the next chapter; promise! Hope you enjoy! XxxxxxX

Also, thanks for the really nice PMs guys!

* * *

"_The rush / that comes with your embrace / and in this world of loneliness I see your face_"

* * *

It was just gone three in the afternoon … five hours until Schroeder's thing; plenty of time. Plenty of time to do what exactly? All KaibaCorp business had been completed ahead of schedule so he wouldn't have to worry about anything tonight or tomorrow, so what did he do now?

Sighing, Seto picked up the same picture as earlier, with it becoming somewhat of a habit. Instead of his mind looking back on the hour or so spent in the pet store, it flitted to a mere few moments ago. Three years ago and he would have shaken his head and wrote the dancing off as a moment of weakness. Three years ago and he wouldn't have entertained the notion of kissing her. Three years ago things would have been very different than now.

But what about five thousand years ago?

If he were to believe what he'd seen in Egypt three years ago, then maybe things weren't all that different. He had blocked such thoughts from his head for thirty-six months, only to be confronted with them once again. The memories were hazy now and he'd convinced himself that he'd forgotten them, but the images flashed through his mind once in a while, just to remind him. He'd never really been one to believe in 'magic' per se, but it was hard to deny the things he'd seen through the years.

Magic was one thing, but destiny was a whole other topic he preferred not to touch upon. Soulmates. Blue-Eyes. A card and a person. A dragon and a young woman. A monster and a soul. Surely these things had to be different entities, right? The only blue eyes he saw when looking at Kisara were her sapphire irises, but yet … when he looked to his Blue-Eyes cards, she stared back at him, smiling and laughing.

She had died back then; died in order for him to survive. He had been her life-points back then, protecting them at all costs. She looked almost the same as back then; almost. Her hair might be the same colour, or lack of, but his Kisara's hair was wavy and curled slightly. Her voice was different aswell; more defined and soft, but with a sly side hidden beneath.

Had he just thought _his_ Kisara?

So if they had been together all those years ago, did that have any influence on today? If an arranged marriage hadn't been on the cards, would they have ended up together? Or was the arranged marriage fate's way of making sure they were coupled yet again?

Groaning, Seto held his head in his hands; surely he was thinking much too far into this. And yet …

If he had loved her back then, did that mean he did now? Did he even have a choice in his own feelings at this stage? She'd been living in the mansion about a month at this stage, and in those four weeks she'd opened doors he hadn't even known existed. He knew how to play basic musical scales on the piano; for years he had viewed that instrument with contempt, but he was beginning to appreciate the sound it brought to the halls. The KaibaCorp building now seemed aesthetically pleasing to his eyes, and they even had a dog …

How was he supposed to know what exactly love was? Were Mokuba and Rebecca in love, or just infatuated at their ages? How was he supposed to know the difference? How did Mokuba know the difference? Another sigh as Seto placed the photograph down and leaned back in his chair, speaking aloud.

"What is love?"

He hadn't expected his study to answer him, and yet a voice did speak; a voice he recognised.

"Love, sir, is when you enjoy just being in her presence, be it talking or in silence. In my experience, people only ask that question when they are in love, sir."

Despite himself, Seto smirked as he looked to the door of his study, seeing the man to be standing there; at least someone had the guts to answer him and Roland had never held back when questioned. He was among the longest serving of all the KaibaCorp staff, and maybe it was his unfazed attitude towards his employer that kept the shaded man at the top of the company's payroll year after year.

"Thanks Roland, is there something you wanted?"

"Just to say I may be missing for a few days; Emiko is due in the next week, sir."

Emiko was Roland's wife; Seto had met her for the first time last year at a KaibaCorp function. She was an attractive woman with dark hair and green eyes, who also owned her own dress store in the middle of Domino.

Blinking, Seto stood from his desk; with all the hype about his and Kisara's marriage, he'd forgotten Emiko was pregnant again. Nodding his head, the young man walked towards the head of his security team.

"Of course, Roland. Did you find out the sex?"

"A girl, sir."

"Congratulations."

A handshake and congratulating smile; that would make for two boys and a little girl for Roland. The older man nodded his thanks and took leave; he had to go to the KaibaCorp building and take care of some interns before he knocked off for the day.

As the door clicked shut, Seto found himself staring back at his own desk, eyes looking to the photo again. Roland's words replayed in his head; did dancing in the foyer qualify as enjoying her presence? He'd merely asked what love was. Going by Roland's words, did that mean he was in love? Was he in love?

* * *

Okay, so she hadn't walked all that far, but Kai seemed preoccupied with chasing a few crows off the lawn, and she was quite happy to sit on the edge of the fountain and watch. It would be dark in an hour or two, a fact that was driven home by the birds flying overhead; all heading back to trees to roost for the night. Shivering slightly, the young woman thought back to the two dresses lying on her bed. The light blue one.

Thanks to Téa for the advice on formal wear, and for her uncanny timing. Smiling as she placed her phone back in her pocket, Kisara pulled the elastic from her hair and let the tresses fall down, warming her neck and ears. Her hair had been shorter once, only reaching just beyond her shoulders, but now the locks cascaded down to the middle of her back; a style she was much more comfortable with.

Sighing, Kisara let her mind return to the inevitable; the dancing in the foyer and of how it had ended. Should she have? Or was she right to make an excuse and get out of there? She'd only known him for a month … at the start of the week she'd convinced herself that it was impossible to fall in love with a man she'd been arranged to marry, and that reckoning still stood strong … but it was becoming rapidly undermined.

"What do you think, Kai? Should we have kissed?"

A yap was her answer, along with a growl as the little puppy began to pull out of her lacers. Why shouldn't they have kissed? It wasn't as if she was a nun who knew nothing of men … go back three years and maybe that could have been true. But studying in China and living with Vivian had introduced her to the opposite sex, away from watchful eyes.

Pouting, Kisara lowered a hand and picked up the small husky, running her hand over the smooth red and white fur. Kai had grown a lot in the weeks since her arrival here; something they had in common.

Looking down to the small forest in the corner of the grounds, Kisara contemplated heading in that direction, but it would take too long; by the time she got back it would be a rush to get ready for SchroederCorp, and she didn't do too well when rushed.

* * *

"Shhh! Joey move your head!"

"I'll move my head when _you_ move your foot, dice-boy!"

Téa frowned as the boys continued arguing amongst themselves. Great, now the volume level was as high as it would go, and she still couldn't hear the television. The coverage would be starting in a few minutes, and it seemed as though everyone had congregated in the Muto's living room to watch. The room couldn't hold many more people; it had enough seats for five individuals and they were already well over that level.

She and Yugi had been intending to have a quiet evening in and watch the SchroederCorp coverage, but then Mokuba and Rebecca had called over, followed closely by Joey and Mai, and pretty much everyone else after that.

Losing her patience as Duke made to kick Joey and the blond grabbed his foot, Téa pinned the duo with a glare.

"Guys stop; it's starting!"

It took all of two seconds for a silence to fall on the cramped living room as a young reporter took the screen, standing outside the newest corporate building in Domino city. It looked like something from the Oscars, or another event of such calibre; there were men in tuxedos with women in dresses and high-heels, all posing before flashing cameras. A superfluous red carpet on the ground foretold of Zigfried's flamboyant and boastful nature.

"Hey Mokuba, what's Kisara wearing anyway?"

The youth shrugged at Mai's question; he hadn't gone home after school today. Having lived in the Kaiba Mansion for years now, the teenager knew how hectic things got just before an event like this and had decided to stay in the city for the evening. Whatever about Seto and Kisara rushing around, it was the maids who were the worst; they got excited and flitted around the large house, trying to get a glimpse at dresses or tuxes, and then meeting up to gossip about the outfits.

More people emerged from limousines, each vehicle bearing a different insignia on the side; he'd never seen so many company executives at one place before. The annual KC summit didn't even pull in the numbers now on-screen.

"Oh, I know her!"

Mokuba nodded as Rebecca pointed to the screen where a young woman had just emerged from another limo, hanging onto the arm of her partner; she was a good friend of Seto's. Maria Koriscova was a young Russian businesswoman who worked predominantly in the fashion industry, a fact made obvious by her tall frame and thin figure. She had been in Domino last year for a fashion expo and had had some business with KaibaCorp; something to do with game figurines and their attire.

More people made their way up the carpet, more logos; some he recognised and some were completely new to the youngster's eyes. Limo after limo until one pulled up to the end of the flaunting red carpet; one with an insignia he was most definitely familiar with.

"Here we go …"

As Mokuba spoke, having seen the KC logo on the side of the limousine, Téa crossed her fingers for Kisara; she hoped the newcomer would be okay. Seto Kaiba looked every part the confident company-owner he was with a slightly arrogant smirk. It seemed obvious that he was the youngest of the CEOs present, distinguished by his differing formal wear; not regimented by the stark black and white of the tuxedos worn by all around, the Kaiba had seen fit to sport a black shirt and trousers.

The two second lapse between Seto emerging from the limo and Kisara's debut on the red carpet felt like an hour to the watchers, as it did to the awaiting photographers. As the young French woman finally stood out alongside the man she was to marry the camera zoomed in and numerous bulbs flashed. Rebecca smiled as she heard Mokuba sigh with relief.

"Wow …"

Only now noticing that she'd been holding her breath, Téa smiled as she heard Tristan; he hadn't been introduced to Kisara yet and, knowing her friend, he hadn't paid all that much attention to the hype of the arranged marriage either. The brunette was glad she'd picked the light blue dress; it really suited Kisara.

More flashes emitted from the gathered paparazzi as the reporter began talking again, introducing the newest couple on the carpet to the viewers.

* * *

One step at a time, and keep a hand on Seto's arm. She found herself wishing the night was already over and done with. The more she thought about it, the more nervous the young woman became; glitz and glamour wasn't her thing, and yet here she was standing before a crowd of flashing lights. The red carpet beneath her high-heels seemed to stretch on for an age. The twenty-year-old kept the slight smile on her face as her feet automatically began walking. She'd been twice as nervous in the limo so Kosuke had tried to assure her and mentioned something about her and Seto's dancing in the foyer earlier; apparently the maids had watched for a little bit and the word had soon spread to all KaibaCorp staff. His analogy of an employee grapevine had made her laugh just as they'd pulled up at SchroederCorp.

"Ms. Ashbrook, over here!"

"Mr. Kaiba, Ms. Ashbrook!"

"This way!"

"Over here!"

More shouting, followed by the clicking shutters of countless cameras. Little red dots here and there where cameramen and women held the tools of their trade, training the lenses on-target. Demands for photographs from one side and shouts for poses from the other. As the blush fought to surface again, Kisara felt a light arm around her waist, along with a voice in her right ear.

"You're doing fine … all these cameras will be gone once we get inside; that's the reason they're all shouting now. Just smile and imagine this whole thing is already over."

That made her laugh lightly; it was comforting to know that he disliked being here too. Most of the faces surrounding them were strangers to her eyes; one or two rang faint bells of recognition in her memory. So this was what it was like to arrive at such a large function; it felt like a pressure cooker with press squeezing in at both sides of the carpet and innumerable flashes going off. Normally her aunt and uncle would attend such things to represent Ashbrook Estates, but not anymore; she was here as the significant other of Seto Kaiba, and something told Kisara that, although this was her first big-scale event, it surely wouldn't be her last.

"S-Seto …"

"Mmmm?"

It was an acquired skill, to be able to speak out of the corner of her mouth and still smile lightly for the watching cameras, not wanting to draw anymore attention than merited, but it was a skill Kisara found to be easy enough. As cobalt looked down questioningly, the young woman noticed that even with a pair of high-heels on her feet he was still taller than her.

"P-please don't leave me alone in here …"

"I won't, I promise."

More flashing cameras and shouts of direction from the photographers. There was another couple emerging from a limo at the end of the red carpet now; why couldn't the paparazzi focus on those two? It didn't really matter; they were still walking, with the doors of the SchroederCorp building looming. A person stood at each side of the double doors, holding them open for the arriving guests.

The change in atmosphere between outside the building on the carpet to the inside of SchroederCorp was instantaneous; as soon as the pressure cooker of outside was abandoned, a calmer more relaxed mood seemed to settle.

They had to pass through the lobby to get to the open doors that led unto some class of a function room. Running her eyes over the sparse few chairs and waste bins, Kisara frowned; KaibaCorp had leather armchairs and polished coffee tables for individuals to rest in comfort until they spoke to the receptionists. It was also bright, being surrounded by glass panes in comparison to the dark wood panelling Zigfried had chosen to use. In her opinion SchroederCorp's lobby seemed very subdued and none too pleasing to the eye.

"KaibaCorp's lobby is much more welcoming than this …"

Now those were words that made Seto smile; Kisara was looking around the empty lobby of the building. It was smaller than KaibaCorp's, starker and not very accommodating; all aspects that pleased the young CEO to no end as he walked through it.

"I hope he knows he just built on a flood plain aswell."

"What?"

Seto looked down as Kisara said this; it was news to him if Domino had a flood plain in its vicinity. Nodding her head, Kisara smiled slightly as she spoke.

"There's a small river running behind this building, but the water table rises in wet weather. This whole floor will flood if Zigfried didn't include flood-prevention fittings in his initial plans. That's why there was never a building here before, and why the plot was so cheap."

"How?"

"I have a degree in Geography."

Raised eyebrows; why hadn't he remembered this? She had told him she'd studied Geography a few days ago, when they'd been in the kitchen and he'd told her about Vivian's participation in the new tournament. Why was it that he didn't know very much about Kisara at all? A geographical degree was something he was envious of. To be able to distinguish the productivity of a region by either demographics or topography; that was a skill.

Seto smirked as he looked to his fiancée; it was just like she was talking about the piano or musical scales again; no stuttering or blushing, only fluid speech with knowledge behind it. Now he was really smiling; Schroeder had thought he was getting a bargain with cheap land in Domino and he'd get his comeuppance once the wet weather hit.

The function room didn't look any more appealing than the lobby had, or maybe he was just being biased. There were small groups gathered together in various places, no doubt talking business. Schroeder was nowhere to be seen … yet. Knowing the German, he would have to make a big and noticeable entrance to draw enough attention to himself. The idiot would want to have all eyes on him, eclipsing anyone else present. If there was a God above, then please don't let the man be wearing that atrocious pink suit he had sported during the last tournament.

* * *

An hour, maybe two and still no sign of Zigfried. Countless small chats about business with a few of the CEOs he was acquainted with, but Seto made a point of not getting too far into the conversations; Kisara knew nothing of business and it was unfair if she had to act intrigued every time another company owner came along.

Instead, he had decided to sit at one of the many tables and chairs set out for guests of the event; there were waiters going around with platters of food and glasses of wine for each table; Ashbrook wine, what a shrewd touch from Schroeder. Seto had just indicated a couple he had become acquainted with last year, with Kisara was looking to the pair, somewhat taken aback.

"Is she married to him?"

"Not yet, but look at the rock on her finger."

Kisara looked to the couple now dancing, locking her eyes onto the fourth finger of the young woman's left hand. Even from where she was sitting, the twenty-year-old could easily see the sparkle of a large diamond. It wasn't quite on par with her own engagement ring, but it was still impressive. The next thing she looked at was the male of the couple.

"Doesn't he seem a bit old?"

"He's about sixty and she's twenty-five or six … but he's the owner of a worldwide chain of microchip manufacturers, and she's had two previous husbands, all in their sixties or seventies."

Seto didn't need to say anymore to explain the workings of a gold-digger. Now that she looked around the room, Kisara could see a few more couples sporting the same age-gap between partners. Did anyone in the corporate world marry for love anymore? The irony of asking herself _that_ question. Her blue eyes looked down to the engagement ring on her own finger. It was probably worth a lot of money, but nothing beyond that. And yet ...

As Seto picked up some of the food from a serving platter in the centre of the table, Kisara looked back to him, stifling a laugh as she picked up her glass of wine. She really hoped he knew what he was eating.

"_Pattes de grenouilles_ …"

His French wasn't great by any standards, but Seto knew what those words meant and dropped what he had thought was chicken. Frogs legs, and he was guessing the small round food items were _l'escargots_; snails. She was laughing again … so now he knew two things that made her laugh, but both didn't work out all that well for him.

"_Goût agréable_?"

"_Oui belle dame_ …"

He had never thought his French good, and now Seto knew it wasn't. She had asked if it had tasted nice, and he had said yes … well that was how Mokuba had told him to agree in French when asked a question by a woman. But Kisara was blushing lightly; it wasn't the self-conscious blush she had sported upon arriving in Japan , this was more slight in colour, only colouring just below her eyes.

"What did I say?"

"Y-yes … beautiful lady."

Seto made a mental note not to trust Mokuba ever again where another language was concerned, but shrugged nonetheless and nodded his head.

"Well it's true."

That only served in making her blush a little more and look away for a few seconds. The young woman could feel the heat rising to her cheeks all too quickly. She hoped he'd have lost interest by the time she looked back up; no such luck. What was it about the deep cobalt that stopped her from looking elsewhere?

"Hello there, _Herr_ Kaiba."

And there was that entrance he'd been dreading all along as Kisara looked back to the floor; Zigfried had finally appeared … pink hair and clashing suit included.

* * *

**A/n-**** Thanks a million as always for reading guys! XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**Note:** "_Herr_" is the German equivalent of "Mr." and is how Zigfried refers to Kaiba throughout the KC Grand Prix arc. The reason I didn't use it in earlier versions is because I wasn't sure of its meaning or how to spell it, and I didn't want to offend any possible German readers. Thanks to a friend of mine who studies German, it's all good!

2nd Revision - 7/February/2011


	13. Belle Dame

**Author's Note:** Hi there guys and sorry for the really long wait; I had writer's block and didn't really know where to start with this chapter, but it's done ... finally! Sorry again and I hope the ending will make up for the wait! XxxxxxxxxX

* * *

"_Can we make this dream last forever?"_

* * *

There had been no big-scale entry, no eye-catching display or speech to foretell of the German's entry; he just appeared out of nowhere. Despite himself, Seto found the quiet entry much more annoying than any flamboyant or attention-seeking stunt the German could have pulled off; he felt cheated that there was no warning of Zigfried's entry.

A deep sigh with a monotone voice was the most welcoming greeting Seto could conjure.

"Hello Schroeder."

Not noticing that he had just intruded, Zigfried took it upon himself to sit down at the table. Ten minutes later and he was still talking; something about the designs of his new building and how it would accommodate an impressive dueling system. Such a notion made the other company-owner smile inwardly; the moment Zigfried attempted to build anything akin to a Duel-disk or dueling platform, the KaibaCorp board of attorneys would be on it, citing patents and claiming copyright infringement on the initial idea.

One thing that made it through crystal clear was no mention of flood-prevention fittings to the new building; this flood plain didn't seem to be well known of, but he trusted Kisara's knowledge for some reason.

If he nodded every five minutes or so, Seto found he could feign interest in the conversation rather well; there was just something about that German accent that grated at his nerves. He knew numerous people who possessed much more extreme accents; many of his associated had only broken English at their disposal, and yet he would have much preferred to be talking with any of them than Schroeder for some reason.

Ignoring Zigfried's boastful words was a feat in itself, but Kisara trying to keep a straight face across the table from him wasn't helping. The more she tried to hide her smile, the more Seto felt the corners of his mouth being tugged upwards. Another ten minutes passed, with maybe a fleeting accented word about Pegasus amongst the fray, but it was the mention of Duel Monsters that caused Seto to finally tune in and listen to the German's words.

"… to be honest, I was surprised to be invited to your tournament, _Herr_ Kaiba."

"There was one space available and no one else would take it."

Considering what he had done last time, Seto had been surprised at Mokuba's suggestion of inviting him; their firewalls and data-banks had recovered from the virus soon after, but having his company attacked like that was not one of the young CEO's fondest memories. Mokuba had put up a good argument though; seeing as all the other finalists from the KC Grand Prix had been invited it would have looked rather spiteful to exclude Zigfried. And there wasn't all that much the Schroeder could do this time around, except lose; the Golden Castle of Stromberg card had been confiscated by Pegasus soon afterwards and was now safely under lock and key somewhere on Duelist Kingdom island.

He was talking again; did this guy ever just give his mouth a break? Judging by the words Seto failed to ignore, he was talking about Duel Monsters yet again; why did he bother to talk about something he evidently knew very little of? He _had_ lost after all … no, wait; he had been disqualified and then beaten by Blue-Eyes. Now that he cast his memory back, Seto could feel his anger being reignited; Schroeder was the first duelist to try and remove all three of his Blue-Eyes from play and it had blown up in his face. Looking across the table to where she was still trying to hide a smile, Seto silently swore the same thing would happen if Zigfried even thought about taking her blue eyes from him.

Inevitably, he felt his hearing drawing him back to the conversation as he heard a familiar name being spoken.

"… but you wouldn't understand such things as a dueling strategy, Kisara; I doubt that you even know what a battle phase is."

Zigfried's ice-blue eyes glanced to Kisara as he said her name and, whether it was deliberate or unintentional, the pale irises swam with arrogance. In contrast, Kisara's eyes submissively looked to her hands, which were folded neatly in her lap. Now fully-tuned into the conversation, Seto pinned Zigfried with a cold glare and took a breath to set the German straight. And he would have done so too, if it hadn't been for a quiet voice beating him to the punch.

"A-actually, I think your dueling strategy was fatally flawed by your use of a Valkyrie deck … y-your dependence on using Ride of the Valkyries to , umm, summon all of your Valkyrie cards wasn't a wise move when faced with a Dragon/Machine type deck such as Seto's. T-the only reason it worked on Joey Wheeler's is because his deck is a Warrior/Beast-Warrior type deck. Not a-adapting your dueling strategy for different opponents is what I … I believe to be the sign of a poor duelist, Zigfried. But p-please don't take my word; I'm afraid I don't even know what a battle phase is."

To guess who was more shocked, Seto or Zigfried, was anybody's game as Kisara finished her say in a polite tone, letting a vivid blush claim her cheeks. Many of the guests had decided to eavesdrop as the young woman spoke in a quiet voice about the card game, defending her meagre knowledge of its workings.

Seto smiled widely, just about keeping a bark of laughter suppressed at the look on Zigfried's face; he doubted he would've been as articulate, or defended her just as elegantly as Kisara had done so. He had been unaware she'd known so much of Schroeder's dueling strategy, let alone so knowledgeable of the duels he had won and lost in the KC Grand Prix.

As Zigfried made his excuses and sauntered off to some other table in the function room with his tail between his legs, Seto moved over to sit beside the still-blushing Kisara, wide smile still in place. He had been ready to tear the German down bit by bit for his condescending words, but he hadn't expected Kisara to defend herself so eloquently, and politely insult Schroeder at the same time.

"Feel better after getting that off your chest?"

An embarrassed nod of her head was his answer, along with a small smile; her blush was slowly starting to fade.

"I … I only meant to tell him what a battle phase was, but I got carried away, I-I'm sorry …"

"Don't be; that was-"

Seto stopped short as a young woman approached their table, attractive smile playing on her lips as her light brown hair bounced in styled curls. He knew her from a year ago when she had visited Domino during a fashion expo. Nodding his head at the newcomer, Seto smiled and spoke.

"Zd'rastvuyte, Maria."

"Zd'rastvuyte, Seto."

Kisara blinked; judging by the harsh accent of the woman, she guessed a Russian or East-European nationality; languages the French woman knew nothing of, but apparently Seto and this woman had just greeted. As the new woman looked to her and began speaking, Kisara smiled lightly, not all too sure if she was being insulted or asked a question. After a minute or two, the woman called Maria stopped speaking with a warm smile, and then looked to Seto. Nodding, he looked to Kisara.

"This is Maria Koriscova; she owns a modelling agency in Russia and a few boutiques around Japan and America. She says well done for putting pinky in his place and that you look stunning tonight."

Blushing again, Kisara looked to Maria and nodded gratefully, smiling as she spoke to Seto.

"C-can you thank her for me?"

"Spasiba, Maria."

He nodded and spoke the strange word, garnering a wide smile from the woman; Maria seemed kind, even if a language stood between them. Though she looked awfully like she could use a good meal; the cons of being a model Kisara supposed.

"Do svidanja, Seto, Kisara."

"Do svidanja, Maria."

Seto again nodded and voiced a few more foreign words as Maria departed. Despite not knowing the language, Kisara presumed the woman was saying goodbye, judging by her small wave and walking away from the table. She had learned something new tonight; Seto spoke Russian. With a blush still visible, Kisara idly fidgeted with the heavy silver bracelet on her left wrist..

"Did she really say that?"

"Pretty much, but Maria likes to use swears, so I left them out of the translation."

"I didn't know you spoke Russian, Seto."

Looking at the platter of frogs' legs in the centre of table, the young CEO now wondered how he could have mistaken such things for chicken; they looked nothing like it.

"I didn't know you could insult someone as politely as you did … how about we _don't_ tell Schroeder about the flood plain, huh?"

His words made her laugh lightly as she nodded her head. She hadn't been intending on insulting Zigfried, but he _had_ insulted her first with no cause. Looking at the wine glass in front of her, Kisara doubted very much if Zigfried had paid full-price for her family's produce, and he had served it in abundance tonight. The alcohol was expensive enough in Euro, but seemed to be priced rather extravagantly in Yen. Her guardians had always maintained good relations with the Schroeder family, and there was no doubt they would continue to do so when he was in Japan.

"Smile, Kisara; it might never happen …"

She blinked as she felt a light tug on the end of one of her curls, laughing, the young woman moved her head to evade his hand; it had taken her and one of the maids an age to style the tresses and pin them up and she wasn't too fond on the idea of him pulling them loose, even if the tug had brought her out of her brooding.

Seto had offered hiring a stylist but, being herself, she had turned down the offer and spent a good hour or two getting ready. Maybe next time hiring a stylist would be the best way to go, and save a lot of time aswell. Looking to the couples currently making their way around the dance floor, Seto stood, smiling as he saw Kisara raise an eyebrow as she looked up from where she sat.

"I didn't step all over your toes for no reason; I told you we'd end up dancing."

Smiling, Kisara nodded her head and took his outstretched hand; it was comforting to have his strong grip encasing her hand, but infinitely more comforting to feel his hands placed on her lower back as they found a vacant space on the near-full dance floor.

* * *

"Why wear them if they hurt?"

"Because they look really nice with the dress."

He never could understand why women tortured themselves by wearing excruciating shoes; they might look great with a dress, but the blisters they left weren't as good-looking, especially at almost two in the morning as the SchroederCorp limousine delivered them back to the Kaiba mansion. And why exactly she was taking the shoes off outside the door, he really didn't know.

"It's so I won't wake Mokuba …"

Kisara smiled and answering quietly; she could see the question written on his face. It had been a long night of dancing in high-heels, speaking with other CEOs and their partners, but Zigfried hadn't approached them again; she still felt embarrassed at having spoken to him in such a way, and supposed she would have to apologise at some point.

"I think you just dropped a foot in height."

Having become used to her taller height in heels, Seto smirked with amusement as Kisara shrunk before him, holding her shoes in her hand; the top of her head only reached up to his chin now. Pouting slightly at his words, Kisara found herself smiling in a few seconds as she remembered an earlier conversation.

"Bentō?"

"Tomorrow, I promise."

One of the other Japanese CEOs had mentioned something called _bentō_, saying his wife made a very impressive traditional type. She had later found out that bentō was a take-out or home-packed meal common in Japan; there were even contests for the most elaborately laid-out bentō. One of these competitions was being held in the middle of Domino tomorrow and Seto had said he would take her to it.

Japan just seemed to hold more and more new things to explore; from its exquisite architecture to simple snacks such as Pocky, which had become a favourite of her's in the last few weeks. The competition was starting at one in the afternoon, so there would be just enough time to watch the match. With that thought, Kisara looked to Seto as he opened the front door of the mansion quietly; she had almost come to view the maze-like house as a home over the past few weeks.

"Seto, does the television have sports channels?"

A slight laugh could be heard as he held the door open for her to walk through; the young man answered with a smile as she gathered up the dress and walked bare-footed in the foyer.

"With Mokuba living here, of course it does, why?"

The door closed just as silently as it had opened. Walking forward, Seto noticed that the lights had been left on in the foyer; most likely by a well-wishing younger brother of his.

"Liverpool are playing tomorrow and I wanted to watch the match; it's on before the bentō competition."

Why he smirked like that and looked away was a mystery to her, but Kisara wanted to know what was so funny in his opinion.

"What is it?"

"You play the piano, listen to rock, you also have a degree in Geography, insult Schroeder, you dance perfectly and take an interest in Japanese culture. You're into soccer, you help Mokuba with his French and you're beautiful; is there anything you're not good at, really?"

Despite herself, Kisara looked to the floor and blushed vividly; he didn't mean what he was saying, it must have been the wine.

"I- I'm not … beautiful-"

"Yes, you are; don't belittle yourself."

There his hand was again, gracing the left side of her neck and half-disappearing into tresses of white. The strong cobalt drew her eyes up to his and, though she strained to see it, there was no hint of cloudiness in those irises to suggest a few tipsy words; he was sober and knew exactly what he was saying.

"Well, I'm not good at understanding business stuff …"

"So she has a flaw after all."

Dark brown fell over the piercing cobalt yet again as he laughed lowly, but kept his hand exactly where it was; there was no present from Kai this time, or spying maids to spread the word. Before she even realised it, Kisara had lifted her right hand to brush the dark brown strands out of the way, an action Seto had no problem with whatsoever as he lowered his head slightly for her to reach.

"It was annoying me …"

Smiling as she spoke, the young company-owner reached his hand up to hers, retreating from his brushed-aside hair, and slowly intertwined his fingers with hers; any thoughts of Egypt or a past he had once lived were banished for this moment; this was his life and his Kisara, not some priest's and definitely not Schroeder's.

"Y'know I could teach you some business stuff if you want to be good at everything?"

"I'd like that."

She smiled; there was one thing that made her smile so far, and didn't involve any consequences on his part. _Love, sir, is when you enjoy just being in her presence, be it talking or in silence. In my experience, people only ask that question when they are in love, sir_. Roland was one wise man, Seto came to realise as he looked down into perfect sapphire eyes and felt her grip his hand a little tighter; her fingers fit between his seamlessly. His eyes searched hers for a second or two longer before Seto tilted his head a little lower; half-expecting some kind of interruption to force them apart yet again.

Right now, Kisara wished she had waited to take the high-heels off later as she strained to the tops of her tip-toes. A week ago she had convinced herself that loving him was impossible, but such thoughts were abandoned right now.

Her eyes slowly slid closed as his lips brushed over hers; tender and tauntingly light. Instinctively leaning forward, Kisara returned the light kiss, unable to gain anymore height from her exhausted toes. Thankfully, Seto dipped his head lower, allowing her to relax a bit as his lips returned, this time with more meaning. Somewhere amidst returning the kiss and feeling his tongue brushing against her lips, Kisara relinquished her grip on the high-heels in her left hand and let them fall to floor; the now free-hand reaching to rest on his arm.

It could have been seconds, minutes or an entire age they stood there, but the two eventually parted for the need of air. The brown was back masking his cobalt eyes when she looked back up at him, smiling slightly as her cheeks became flushed with colour.

One more lingering, light brush of his lips across hers, and a light squeeze of his hand. No interruptions this time; no text message alert, and no Zigfried. Just him and her.

Seconds upon seconds of just looking at each other; was this what Roland had meant by enjoying her presence? It was only as she placed her hand over his, still resting on her neck, that Kisara felt his watch pass beneath her touch. Frowning slightly, she looked to the clock on the wall; at this rate she'd never get up in time to get to the bentō competition, never mind watch the match beforehand. Seto seemed to take note of the time too, as he followed her gaze to the clock.

"Good thing there's no meetings tomorrow."

She smiled at his words, and then looked up at him somewhat beseechingly, letting a vivid blush take hold; one of the maids had helped her get ready. Why was it that dress-makers insisted on locating zips where no human could naturally reach?

"Seto, c-could you unzip the back please? Akari had to help me get ready …"

Smiling, Seto nodded his head as Kisara indicated the back of her dress; the top of the zip lay just beyond her reach. He lowered it to where she could reach it comfortably. Picking up the shoes she had unceremoniously abandoned on the floor, Kisara straightened and looked to her fiancé.

"Thank you, Seto … for tonight; you would have said something to Zigfried if I hadn't."

"I would have dropped him from the tournament."

She laughed lightly at his words, having seen the look on his face when Zigfried had put her down earlier; he wouldn't have held back and that was why she had spoken instead.

"Good night, Seto."

A light kiss on her cheek.

"Good night, _belle dame_."

* * *

**A/n-**** I hope you liked it (they finally kissed, lol) and please tell me what you thought! Thanks again, as always for taking the time to read it guys! XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

2nd Revision - 9/February/2011


	14. Snow

**Author's Note: **Hi there guys, and sorry (as always) for the long wait between updates. Hopefully, the long length of this chapter will make up for it. This update would have been up about an hour ago only my personal proof-reader (my twin sis, Renolvr) was subjected to the torture or reading through my rough draft and made a few suggestions to improve it; thanks again sis! XxxxxxxxX

Even though I greatly appreciate each and every review, fave, alert, reader, hit and visitor this fic gets, I feel compelled to give a shout out to "Arduenna" who has stuck by this story since it's beginning (not that others haven't), and isn't afraid to let me know when I get something wrong or not quite right. I sincerely hope she doesn't mind me mentioning her and I, in no way, mean to overlook my other readers; you all mean the world to me! XxxxxxxxxX

Also, I'm very ambiguous in regard to the "woods scene", so any kind of feedback is welcomed greatly!

* * *

_"They say it's not right and we move too fast / But they don't know the meaning of what we have"_

* * *

"Kisara went for a walk about half-an-hour ago; next cupboard, on your right and behind the onigiri, top shelf …"

"Thanks."

Seto nodded his head as he located the painkillers at last; he hadn't drank a whole lot last night. Maybe it was because he hadn't consumed alcohol in such a long time that he was now suffering; either way his head was killing him right now and his stomach was performing a series of horrible flips.

"Have a good night?"

A nod and groan was the only answer Mokuba received from his brother as he turned over onto the next page of the newspaper; SchroederCorp's big bash was the dominant headline, along with pictures of most of the female guests and comments from the paper's fashion expert concerning the variety of dresses.

"Got a hangover, Seto?"

"Like you wouldn't imagine …"

The simple sound of water running from the tap sounded much too loud for his ears this morning, accompanied by Mokuba flicking noisily through the newspaper. Seto really hoped his stomach would settle before the bentō competition; the idea of watching food being arranged wasn't the most pleasing notion for him right now.

Shaking his head with a smile, Mokuba looked back to the paper. Apparently Zigfried had invited somewhere in the region of two hundred guests and plied them with expensive wine and diverse cuisine; the paper he was reading had an 'insider' tell them all.

"How was last night, seriously?"

Last night … semi-ignoring the splitting headache he now had, the young CEO smirked a little. Last night had been a lot of things; annoying, boring, long and fun. The fun part had included no business-concerning conversations; it had included Kisara and avoiding stepping on her toes again. But the best part of the previous night had happened in the foyer … she'd kissed him back.

He was so used to girls throwing themselves at his feet, Seto hadn't noticed how nervous he'd actually been during those tentative moments between his advance and Kisara's returning of the kiss; it had felt like an eternity to him, but she had kissed him back. Noticing his younger brother to be still looking at him, Seto turned his attention to the teenager.

"Mokuba, what's the worst thing to ever come out of Germany, in your opinion?"

A few seconds of silence as the sixteen-year-old shrugged his shoulders, trying to come up with an answer; he only knew the most obvious of things concerning the country. Rebecca was the history expert; he'd have better luck asking her.

"Don't know really; Hitler, the World Wars?"

He frowned as his brother shook his head and leaned back against the countertop, a smirk on his face. In his opinion, there was something much, much worse than those things.

"What then, Seto?"

"Zigfried Von Schroeder and his pink suit."

Mokuba couldn't help but laugh at Seto's words; Leon was okay by his reckoning and had been invited to the new tournament before his older brother, but there was just something about Zigfried that annoyed Seto to no end.

"Was he that bad?"

"Don't know really, I ignored him for most of the night and then he left us alone and everything was great. What's so funny?"

"Nothing, never mind me …"

Mokuba looked back down to the paper for the umpteenth time as he smiled; there was nothing funny, it was just … Seto had said that Zigfried had left _us_ alone, meaning him and Kisara. It was nice to hear connotations of a couple, especially coming from Seto.

The pictures in the paper were of the various guests on the red carpet outside the building; the same part that had been televised yesterday evening. A lot of the people were strangers, but he was familiar with a few of the important faces; Maria Koriscova for one. Unfortunately, he was nowhere near as fluent as Seto with Russian; Mokuba just about knew how to say hello and goodbye.

But there was one picture he kept on looking back to; one of his brother and future sister-in-law. Kisara was smiling and so was Seto; standing so close together and looking totally at ease. He was grateful towards Kisara; Mokuba was grateful because she had made his older brother happy again. Seto hadn't been so inclined to smile before her arrival at the mansion, and he hadn't been glimpsed in the house nearly as much as he was now. He laughed and smiled and took time off more often, and it was all because of her.

Before disappearing with Kai for a walk that morning, Kisara had mentioned that they were going to the bentō competition in Domino later; a month ago and Seto wouldn't have cared what kind of competition was going on, not as long as he could ignore it and catch-up on some work. He couldn't remember the last time his brother had visited a shrine either, not that Seto was openly Shintō, but they had always visited shrines when they were younger. That said, Kisara's interest in Japan and its culture might prompt Seto back into the routine.

Even if it didn't Mokuba was just happy that his big brother was happy again; he deserved to be. Kisara also seemed a lot happier than she had upon first arriving in Japan, and she had seemed somewhat more inclined to smile that morning.

"What, Mokuba?"

It was only as Seto spoke that the teenager realised he'd been staring at his brother for the last few seconds, lost in his own thoughts. Starting slightly as his vision came back into focus, Mokuba shook his head.

"Sorry, kinda spaced out there … Seto?"

"Yeah?"

"You look happy."

* * *

"I love him, I love him not … I love him, I love him not …"

A small bark from Kai interrupted the childish chant; she didn't know what else to do. If she had walked her usual route, Kisara knew she would've been back at the mansion by now, but she'd deliberately decided to stop in the forest for a while. Kai didn't seem to mind; she was too preoccupied with chasing away the birds.

If anyone saw her, sat atop a fallen tree and plucking the petals from a daisy flower one by one, they would have laughed openly. The young woman had gained maybe two or three hours of sleep last night; the rest of the darkened hours had been spent raking through her own feelings. But despite the lengthy soul-searching of the previous night, Kisara had come up empty-handed.

"I love him … I love him not …"

Another two petals floated weightlessly to the ground below; the small white objects seemed hurtfully apathetic towards her confusion. When her mind had offered no answers, she'd summoned that small box of memories. Though reluctant to pull it from its covert hiding place, the young woman had done so and proceeded to flick through the photographs for a while, the rest of the mansion oblivious as they had slept.

The pictures had heralded no answers, even when she'd pleaded for help from the woman she had never known; weren't mothers supposed to help their daughters figure out this kind of thing?

"I love him …"

At least that was what the latest petal told her as it followed its companions to the ground. She had a suspicious feeling that her heart was telling her the same thing, but her head said no. A complete and resounding denial to any notion of falling in love with him. Last night seemed so surreal now that she cast her mind back, but she'd loved every moment of it; his words, his beautiful eyes and his lips against hers …

But if she were to love Seto, wouldn't that mean satisfying her uncle? Wouldn't it mean that she had no problem being arranged to marry someone? A person couldn't possibly fall in love with a pre-arranged suitor … but if that was true, then why did her chest hurt so much at the thought of not loving him?

"I love him not …"

The last word was only half spoken as Kisara felt her throat tighten; why was she almost crying? He was the first person to ever tell her that she was beautiful; everyone else regarded her appearance with a distasteful eye. In France she'd been regimented to appear as a blonde child, but Japan didn't care about how she looked and neither did Seto.

A whine from Kai made her look up slightly; the puppy had clambered up onto the log and was now curling up in her lap. The poor little thing could sense she was upset.

She had had one or two boyfriends in China, all orchestrated by a party-loving Vivian. The relationships had lasted a few months at most, but she'd never been that upset when they had ended it; those men hadn't meant all that much. But Seto … why was it that he could make her laugh and smile and not cause a blush when she spent time with him? She didn't mind letting her guard down and having fun with him. He knew what to say and how to act and she wanted to believe she loved him, but what if it all turned out to be false?

"Kai … I want to love him, really …"

The little husky seemed to whine all the more as she heard the slight sob claim the end of the sentence. There was pleading in her words, along with a few more tears racing to the young woman's chin. Kisara blinked as Kai pricked her ears up and looked to the bend of the pathway. She followed the puppy's gaze, only to see a familiar face approaching.

"Ms. Ashbrook, are you-"

Kisara hastily wiped away a few stray tears as the man approached with his customary shades in place. Kai let loose a high-pitched bark and leapt from her owner's lap to pursue a newly-landed pigeon.

"Sorry, Roland ... I didn't think there would be anyone here."

"I saw the birds flying away and came to investigate; we had poachers last year ..."

His hidden eyes took in the appearance of the daisy in her hand and then looked towards the ground, locating the plucked petals. The girl looked anything but fine; her cheeks were a little red with one or two streak marks. Sure signs of crying, along with an unsure look in her blue eyes.

"Ms. Ashbrook, may I?"

The head of KaibaCorp security nodded his head towards the log, eyebrows raised. Only when she nodded did he take up a seat on the fallen tree beside her. Seconds seemed to tick by as Kai growled lowly; the pigeon had taken roost in the branches of a tall tree, well beyond her reach. Another few petals were discarded to the ground in silence.

"Roland, may I ask you something?"

"Certainly."

Another few seconds of silence; Kisara plucked two more petals from the daisy. Awaiting her question, Roland pulled the earwig from his ear and placed his shades on his lap; he hadn't been expecting to find the young woman here, but he couldn't just leave her in her current state.

"What do you think of the arranged marriage?"

That question caught him off-guard somewhat; it was longest line-up of words she'd ever spoke to him. Mr. Kaiba hadn't even posed that query yet. Clearing his throat, the man spoke lowly; he didn't like to talk out of turn, and felt guilty doing so.

"I don't think it's my place to-"

"P-please … I need to know."

There was something about those pleading blue eyes that required him to answer the girl.

"Ms. Ashbrook, I really don't know what to think of it. My wife is about to have a baby girl and I know that I wouldn't want her to be in an arranged marriage when she's older."

"So you think it's wrong?"

"Yes, but that's only my opinion alone, Ms. Ashbrook."

One more petal floated aimlessly to the ground, flaunting its non-problematic life in her face. So Roland had green eyes, she'd just discovered; a light shade of emerald that suited him very well. It was the first time she'd seen him without his shades in the whole month she'd been living in Japan.

"He hasn't been as happy as this in a long time, Ms. Ashbrook. You make him happy and I've seen you laugh and smile in his company. As bold as it may be of me to say so, I think he makes you happy too."

"That's very bold of you to say … but it's true."

"If you two are so happy together, then why are you out here in the woods crying all alone?"

Kisara looked up as she heard something unfamiliar in the man's voice; in the weeks she'd known him, Roland had always been a man of few words and somewhat monotone. He was a figurehead constantly masked by his shades. Without those tinted glasses he seemed a different person altogether.

When she chose not to answer, merely shrugging her light shoulders, Roland exhaled a sigh; Kisara seemed to be getting the raw end of the deal in his opinion. Seto Kaiba was well-used to his name garnering lots of attention and was able to deal with it by simply ignoring the tabloids. If the young man were to marry anyone else in the world the amount of news coverage would have still been the same. He had been living in the spotlight for years now and knew no different, but Kisara had come from a quiet country estate secluded in the south of France; a polar opposite to the paparazzi metropolis of Domino city. If not for this arranged marriage, the young woman's name would never have been so widely publicised, leaving her out of the limelight … but now she was the target of the press-world and hardly knew how to deal with such attention.

"May I be blunt, Ms. Ashbrook?"

A silent nod as two more of the small white petals, followed closely by a third, were plucked from their flower.

"Do you love him?"

Roland hadn't been exaggerating when he said blunt; the straightness of the question made the young woman look up, somewhat shocked as she locked eyes with him. The light green irises merely stared back levelly, not willing to apologise or re-word the query. Kisara knew she could simply reprimand the man for being so probing, but he had asked beforehand and not answering would only make the answer seem obvious … but how was she supposed to know what love was? Twenty years of age was little more than a teenager.

"If … if I did, love him that is, wouldn't it be a lie? Would it not be a farce arranged by two vindictive men? The whole world would think of the marriage as a stunt … you said it yourself; it's wrong."

She was scared; in those few seconds Roland had figured out why the girl was out here alone, save for the still yapping puppy. He didn't blame her, but if Kisara would only sit down with Seto and explain it, the man was sure the two would have a much easier relationship; it was just a pity that neither Ms. Ashbrook, nor Seto Kaiba were the type of people to openly discuss such things … it would definitely save a lot of trouble.

"Ms. Ashbrook, you're scared, and I understand why. You're scared that this will all turn out to be little more than paper roses; an imitation of the real thing, aren't you?"

Another nod, along with a slight blush of embarrassment.

"I wasn't lying when I said that an arranged marriage is wrong, but there is the possibility you and Mr. Kaiba are the exception to that. The world might view the marriage as a stunt and a farce, but as long as you two don't, then that's what really matters."

More silence as the seconds ticked by; Kai had given up on reaching the pigeon in the high branches, instead finding interest in the laces of Roland's shoe. It was turning cold outside despite the early hour; it wasn't even noon yet. Looking up at the greying sky above the tree-tops, Roland guessed snow was on the agenda. With a little over two weeks to go until Christmas, the man had yet to complete his gift-buying; most of the time had been spent buying items for the new arrival, due any day now.

"You'll be a great father to your little girl, Roland. Thank you."

Looking back to the young woman, Roland was happy to see her smiling. Scratching his head lightly, the man wondered when his job description had included counselling of confused feelings; thankfully it would be many years before his expected-daughter would be old enough to need such advice, and even then, he could rely on Emiko to take care of it.

"You're quite welcome Ms. Ashbrook."

With that, Roland disengaged the growling Kai from his shoe laces and reclaimed his earwig and shades. A walk back to the mansion would do him some good after that chat, along with taking the rest of the day off; Emiko was due any day and he'd rather be present for the birth, instead of being busy with KaibaCorp business as with the births of his two boys.

Walking along the pathway, he couldn't help but wish he was right concerning the arranged marriage. For some reason, Roland found himself hoping that Kisara and Seto _were_ the one exception and that they would work out just fine despite the arrangement. They seemed to be perfectly suited to each other, perhaps a little too perfectly for the arranged marriage to be mere coincidence; fate may be a fickle creature by nature, but it was also a very good match-maker in his opinion. Roland's opinion was further validated as he rounded the bend in the path, only to hear the soft voice of Kisara; she had reached the last petal of the small daisy.

"I love him …"

* * *

"I don't know, Mokuba, use your imagination."

Shrugging, Seto opened the door of the refrigerator; how was he supposed to know what Rebecca would like? Especially as a Christmas present; that girl seemed little interested in clothes or jewellery. He had bigger problems to be thinking about right now, with a new dueling tournament starting up in a little under three weeks, and where the hell was Roland? One of the other suited men, Isamu, had said that the man's earwig had been off-line for the last quarter of an hour; Emiko was probably in labour.

"I don't know either, and Christmas is coming up fast. Hey Seto, shouldn't we have put up decorations or something?"

"We didn't do it for the last few years …"

There was nothing to eat in the fridge at the moment, maybe he'd have better luck with the cupboard the painkillers had been in; the young man was sure he'd seen some onigiri in there earlier. He didn't see all the fuss with Christmas; it was people getting all hyped-up and buying extravagant and overly-priced gifts. Too much build up for one day in Seto's opinion.

"Yeah, I know but it's just … well, it's probably Kisara's first Christmas away from France. She'll probably be home-sick, and I just thought it'd be nice."

Taking a breath to answer his younger brother, and mentally kick himself for not thinking along the same vein, Seto was cut off by a new window opening on his laptop screen; the thing had only been open for ten minutes and already he had no less than six e-mails from KaibaCorp.

"Decorations, you're right Mokuba, just wait until I have time …"

Two more windows popped up; officials wanting quotes concerning the new tournament and expectant figures for the stock team. SchroederCorp stocks were flooding the market with the opening of their new branch and it was driving KaibaCorp's value down the ladder somewhat. More advertising for the tournament should raise the price back up again; a hangover was definitely not the best thing to have when trying to process business matters.

Mokuba nodded his head as Seto's attention was once more claimed by KaibaCorp; he was trying to spend time equally between the company and the mansion, really he was, and the teenager could see that, but his brother could only do so much before work caught up on him again.

"If you want to go into KaibaCorp for a while and sort things out, I'll tell Kisara for you, bro."

"No, I told her I'd bring her into Domino and I will; it's only small things and I'll sort them out from here, or they can wait until tomorrow."

That answer surprised Mokuba, but it was a pleasant surprise. Smiling slightly, the youth pulled his mobile from his pocket and began to type out a text message; the bentō competition was starting at one in the afternoon, so Seto and Kisara would probably leave a bit early. He knew his brother was busy, but he and Rebecca were currently bored out of their minds … maybe one more plan could be put into action whilst his brother and sister-in-law to-be were out. Having sent the text message, Mokuba looked up as the back door opened.

"The invisible man has returned!"

"Not so loud, Mokuba …"

Another groan as Seto lowered his head closer to the laptop, cringing as he did so; it looked as though the painkillers were doing nothing for his hangover. Roland merely smirked at Mokuba's welcome; the kid could be quite the joker when he was bored.

"Everything alright, Roland? Your earwig went off-line, is Emiko in labour?"

"Not yet, sir, but any day now. I was wondering if I may take the rest of the day off, sir."

"Roland, have the week off if you want; take as long as you need."

It was all the man could do not to chuckle slightly; only once or twice had he seen Seto Kaiba with a hangover and it always struck him as amusing to see the youth as such. It seemed so ironic that the normally determined and business-minded young man could be conquered by alcohol.

"Thank you, Mr. Kaiba, sir."

Nodding his gratitude, the shaded man headed for the door of the kitchen, intending on crossing the foyer and relaxing at home with his wife and two little boys for the rest of the day, only stopping as the voice of the younger Kaiba called out.

"Hey Roland, don't forget to tell us when the baby's born!"

"I won't, Mokuba."

As the sound of the front door closing made it to the kitchen, Mokuba smiled; Roland wouldn't forget to tell them. He was like an uncle of sorts to him, and it had always been like that; when Seto had been busy in the past, or kept elsewhere, Roland had been the one to take care of him. Mokuba could remember one occasion when he'd even spent a couple of days at the man's house; Emiko was a kind but energetic woman who seemed to have a fixation with asking him if he was hungry, or if he wanted something to drink.

"Seto, go back to bed bro; it's the only thing that'll cure it."

"And how exactly would you know what cures a hangover, being only sixteen, hmmm?"

Smirking slightly at his brother's response, Mokuba leaned forward and pulled the laptop over to his side of the table, gaining only a slight protest from Seto. Scanning an eye over the numerous windows, Mokuba looked back to his brother.

"You should e-mail the advertisers; upping the campaign for the tournament should get the prices back up above SchroederCorp."

"Already done it, you can get rid of that window. Anyway, once the rainy season comes in the New Year, Schroeder's stocks are going to be way down, and he's going to be out of Domino aswell."

Closing a few windows, and e-mailing one of the directors with expected figures for the new tournament, Mokuba raised an eyebrow, already into the KaibaCorp mainframe system and running through some graphs.

"How comes?"

"When the monsoons hit, his building's whole ground floor is gonna flood and that means less customers, less people interested in the company and a drop in the stock prices. The idiot built on a flood plain; there's a small river running behind his building with a pretty fast-rising water-table."

"Seto, not that I doubt you or anything, but how the hell do you know all this? Hack into a city plan again?"

Smirking, Seto shook his head, immediately regretting the action as his headache flared back into life. Why would he go through the bother of hacking into Domino's plans again? The last time had been pretty monotonous, considering he was only working out the electrical wiring, so as to upgrade them for KaibaCorp. It had saved him six weeks of waiting for the council to send out the information.

"Kisara told me; she has a master's degree in Geography, spent a year in China too."

Mokuba raised his eyebrow yet again; he hadn't known that, and it surprised him that Seto knew before him. It somehow suited Kisara to have studied Geography, and to like rock music and, as she had told him that morning, to also be a fan of soccer. Frowning as he came face-to-face with the last window on the screen, the teenager looked to his brother.

"You have a message from Industrial Illusions, looks important … something about proposing a new contract and discussing the terms when Pegasus arrives for the tournament."

"Send it to the receptionist and tell her to red-flag it for tomorrow; I really don't have the patience for Pegasus right now."

"Okay, that's everything then; all daily scans and protocols are either run or set to run after lunch. No major issues for today and the stock prices are rising a little already, hey it's snowing …"

The change of tone the teenager exhibited, from direct and business-like to an amused nonchalant manner, was nothing out of the norm for Mokuba. Raising his aching head to look out the window, Seto saw it was indeed snowing already, and quite heavy at that. Another few seconds and the noisy back door opened once more, causing him to cringe as Kai could be heard yapping excitedly and Kisara stepped into the kitchen, shaking snowflakes from her long hair. When she looked up, it was with a bright smile, glancing out the window; it was like spying into a souvenir snow-globe.

"It's snowing."

"It doesn't snow much in France, huh?"

It was Mokuba's voice speaking as he closed the laptop, sending the machine into hibernation mode; KaibaCorp would probably send messages all day, but he'd be able to deal with them.

"No, not unless you go to the mountain ranges for skiing."

Tearing her gaze from the window and turning to face Mokuba, Kisara glanced to Seto; Roland's words had settled the butterflies in her stomach, and the doubts that had consumed her thoughts all last night. Smiling as he saw her eyes settling on his brother, Mokuba stood from his seat and walked over to the kitchen door, scooping Kai up as he did so. Those two were acting a little differently than usual in his opinion.

"Poor Seto has a hangover … how come you don't?"

Smiling, Kisara swept a few strands of white behind her ear; her hair was rather damp from the snowflakes.

"I'm French, Mokuba; I've consumed as much wine in my life as you have water. I think I've built up an immunity."

"You think you can lend that immunity to me for a while?"

Laughing lightly, Kisara looked to Seto, still sitting at the table, but he was now looking back at her. Picking up on the moment and the slightly awkward feeling in the kitchen, Mokuba decided that he and Kai should head for the living room; kick-off for the soccer match would be in a few minutes.

Blushing slightly as Mokuba took leave of the room with the puppy, Kisara turned to stare back out the window at the falling snowflakes; they almost seemed to resemble the daisy petals from earlier. She was so focused on the falling flakes of white that the young woman didn't hear Seto standing from his seat and walking over. It was only as he placed a light hand on her arm that she realised he was standing behind her. Another second or two passed before Kisara felt warm breath on her neck and took the initiative to speak first.

"I like snow … it seems to make everything look so peaceful."

"And quiet, quietness is good right now …"

Despite herself, the young woman turned as she heard his words, a smile immediately springing to life; he just seemed so much more normal with a hangover. The stories of a business-driven, cold-hearted robot were yarns spun by strangers in her eyes. The man standing before her, with both his hands placed on the countertop either side of her, was definitely human and definitely had a heart. The kitchen door opening suddenly made her start, along with the noise making Seto groan and mumble beneath his breath.

Shocked, Akari dropped her basket full of laundry to the tiled floor. Taking in the scene before her, the young maid blushed profusely, almost putting Kisara to shame with her crimson-hued cheeks as she stuttered a few times.

"M- Mr. Kaiba … Ms. Ashbrook, I didn't … that is, I … I wasn't aware you two were in here. I apologise."

Now aware of how others must feel when she blushed so vividly, Kisara ducked beneath Seto's left arm and walked the few steps to the fumbling maid. Some of the laundry had become unfolded during its fall to the floor, bending down, Kisara retrieved a sheet and began to fold the item, placing it back in the basket.

"I'm very sorry …"

"It's fine Akari, just an accident."

In a matter of seconds the laundry had been reclaimed and re-folded. With another bright blush and stutter of an apology, Akari disappeared to the utility room of the large house. Eyes flashing to the clock on the wall, Kisara took note of the time and made to head for the living room, stopping as she felt a hand close lightly around her wrist.

"I meant last night; the kiss, everything, Kisara."

And in those deep blue eyes she could see that he did, and it was something that sated her doubts much more than Roland's advice ever could.

"I know ... and so did I."

What made her relieved was that she meant her words as much as he did, not merely spoken to assure herself or him for that matter; it was how she felt. As a few stray strands of damp white made their way over her eyes, it seemed as though the previous night's roles were reversed, with Seto sweeping the hair out of the way.

"It was annoying me."

One role that would never be reversed would be Seto dipping his head a little lower; she had never considered herself short, but Kisara was now beginning to as she reverted to her tip-toes once more.

* * *

He hadn't meant to be privy to that scene, but Kai had decided to steal the remote control at the last minute and scampered off, with it, into the foyer. He hadn't known the kitchen door would be swinging to and fro, left that way by a startled Akari, but now Mokuba wished it hadn't been.

As happy as he was to know his brother and Kisara were getting somewhere, the teenager would have preferred to have found out some other way than by accidentally spying. Looking to the small husky with a blaming glare, he quietly walked back into the living room with the culprit in one hand and the remote control for the television in the other; he'd seen nothing, had heard nothing and, as far as he knew, Seto and Kisara were still getting used to one another.

And if that reckoning didn't quell his guilt, Mokuba hoped his latest plan would.

* * *

**A/n-**** Thanks a million for reading guys and, like I said, I'm pretty ambiguous towards the scenes with Roland and Kisara, so any feedback you have would be appreciated! And thanks for bothering to read, as always! XxxxxxxxxX**

**Note:** I know everyone isn't as much as a Japan-fanatic as I am, so '_Onigiri_' are the rice balls you normally see in animes; small triangular white things with maybe a black strip around them. '_Shintō_' is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people, a religion based on the worship of spirits called _Kami_.

3rd Revision - 21/February/2011


	15. Decorations

**Author's Note:** Hi there guys! Thanks for waiting patiently and I really hope you like it! I'm not sure if I'll be able to update before I go to France, but I'll try my best! XxxxxX

* * *

"_Don't care about all the pain in front of me / 'Cause I'm just trying to be happy"_

* * *

"Where's the light switch?"

"I don't know."

Shrugging, Mokuba avoided yet another stubbed toe, looking around for the switch. He'd forgotten how dark the room actually was, and how cluttered it had become over the years.

"Mokuba, you live here!"

"Yeah, and I still get lost here aswell!"

It was dusty, dark and full of boxes holding God knew what, and she didn't like it one bit; he'd said the plan was simple, but lovely Mokuba had conveniently left out the detail of searching through an archaic attic. Catching her foot on one thing or another, it didn't take much for Rebecca to stumble forward, straight into Mokuba's back.

"Oww!"

"Well if you found the lights, I wouldn't have tripped."

Another few minutes were spent stumbling around the derelict room before the small, well-hidden switch was located behind a shrouded mirror. The new addition of light did the appearance of the dusty room no favours.

"So … where are the boxes we need?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, Bec."

Where exactly to start looking was a mystery; it had been years since he had seen the things and Mokuba knew it wouldn't be as easy as looking in the first box and finding what he needed. Mumbling a comment about all the cobwebs, Rebecca pulled a few from her hair and set to work on the nearest pile of storage crates. Smirking, Mokuba walked to the other side of the attic and began searching through a few boxes. It didn't take long for Rebecca to grow bored of the silence.

"Why are there pictures of guns?"

Casting a glance over at her, Mokuba vaguely recognised the moth-eaten pieces of paper.

"Just throw them somewhere; there from when KaibaCorp was still a weapons company."

"Oh … you guys really need to clear-out once in a while …"

Throwing the sheets of paper to one side, Rebecca moved onto the next box; at this rate Seto and Kisara would be back at the mansion before their plan would be executed in time. Mokuba had been sly enough to rope the maids into helping aswell; they were currently downstairs, cleaning and trying to entertain a bored Kai. The puppy had been left at the mansion due to the large crowd expected in Domino.

Flicking through another stained and torn weapons prospectus, Rebecca spoke aloud, wanting something to make the time pass quicker.

"She looked really nice last night, didn't she?"

"Huh?"

"Kisara, at Schroeder's thing."

So that was three boxes he'd sifted through now, and they were still nowhere to be seen. Why he had thought this was a good idea in the first place, Mokuba had no clue. Hindsight was an awful thing to have; if they finally found the correct boxes, then came the prospect of getting everything ready and also keeping an eye on that cursed laptop in the kitchen; he still had to get back to the advertisers about the new campaign, and scans were being run at the moment , just to make sure KaibaCorp's firewalls were up to scratch.

"Yeah, she did. Are you gonna help or just look at guns?"

Smirking as he heard Rebecca imitating him rather crudely, Mokuba progressed to the next box. Hopefully Seto hadn't thrown out what he was looking for; that would be just his luck. Avoiding a once four-legged table, the youth moved onto a new bundle of dusty crates; they just had to be here!

"Why're we doing this anyways? Eeeew, Mokuba!"

Knocking a few items as he turned around, Mokuba looked to his girlfriend, startled by her shout.

"What is it?"

"Spider!"

"Is that all? It's more scared of you, Rebecca."

His words were of little comfort to the younger teen as she hastily dropped her own box and ran over to him, away from a large spider. It'd take twice as long to find the right boxes now; there was no way Rebecca would go back over to the spider's side of the attic, meaning their search efforts were cut in half.

"You gonna check anymore boxes?"

"Only if you make sure there's no spiders under them …"

That was a no then. Looking around the frigid attic, Mokuba guessed they must be getting close; if the boxes Rebecca had been checking had contained old info from KaibaCorp and his had contained duel-disk prototypes, then there couldn't be many of the containers left to check. Walking over to the next stack of cardboard boxes, Mokuba felt Rebecca's hand on the back of his hoody as she followed behind him; she didn't deal with spiders very well. Smirking to himself, he suppressed a laugh; when she'd started hanging out at KaibaCorp more frequently, a little under two years ago, he'd used her arachnophobia against her; she even spooked at prank spiders. The irate blonde hadn't turned up at KaibaCorp the day after his prank and that was when he'd discovered he liked her hanging around.

"No spiders under this one."

"Promise?"

Apparently she'd been thinking along the same wave-length as him. Smiling, Mokuba nodded his head and stood aside, letting Rebecca sift through the box. Long blonde hair and blue eyes, unhampered by her glasses; adolescence had brought with it her use of contact lenses. The hyper little girl with her pigtails and loud voice had grown up a lot in the time he'd known her. Eighteen months was a long time for teenagers to remain in a relationship, and he couldn't help but wonder how exactly they'd ended up together in the first place; one day he'd been playing pranks on her and then they were going out.

"Earth to Mokuba!"

Hands clapped together in front of his eyes, snapping the youth back to attention; he really had to stop spacing out like that. Smiling as he blinked a few times, Rebecca dragged him over to the newest box she had opened.

"You found them!"

"Yup."

Nodding her head rather proudly, the blonde handed him one of the boxes and grabbed another; they'd have to make a few trips to bring all of the crates downstairs, but at least they knew where to look now. Leaving the lights switched on, the two headed for the attic door; it would take at least two or three hours to get everything ready, but hopefully Seto and Kisara wouldn't be back until evening.

"Hey Mokuba, can I ask you something?"

"Depends what it is …"

Looking down to the stairs beneath his feet, Mokuba focused on getting down all of the narrow steps without slipping. He hated this passageway; it was narrow and dark and he hated the attic and its cobwebs aswell, but it was all for a good cause.

"Seto and Kisara … is it me or did they seem different earlier?"

"In what way?"

Only another five or six steps to go, and no slip so far; it was a good thing the contents of the box were light in weight.

"I don't know, but they just seemed a bit more comfortable, I suppose, and closer. You don't think something happened between them, do you?"

Biting his tongue, Mokuba turned as he descended the last stair.

"I wouldn't know, Bec."

"You're lying; I can hear it in your voice. You know something, Mokuba Kaiba."

Looking down the inch or so to her narrowed blue eyes, Mokuba shook his head with an amused smile; how the hell did she know he was lying? Still, he'd seen nothing earlier, and heard nothing; Kai had simply run off with the remote control for the television, causing him to miss out on the football match's kick-off.

"I'm not lying, I'm just not telling is all. It's their business, Rebecca, and they have enough eyes on them as it is."

With those words, her eyes became less severe; over the last year and a half she'd learned the hard way of Mokuba's loyalty to his brother, and, although it was annoying and frustrating at times, she respected it. Pouting slightly, the fifteen-year-old nodded her head, smirking as Mokuba leaned down and kissed her cheek, flashing a grateful smile as he did so.

"Thanks, Bec."

* * *

"Kyaraben?"

"That's the name given to bentō when it's arranged like that; Kyaraben bentō."

Nodding her head at Seto's explanation, Kisara looked away from the sign and towards the numerous stands and stalls set up in Domino's large square. Crowds of people had turned out for the competition, along with lots of reporters, probably still in the city after the SchroederCorp function last night. Seeing him frown as a small child ran past with a whistle in her mouth, producing a shrill noise, Kisara smiled.

"How's your head?"

"It _was_ getting better …"

Seto had to give it to the people of Domino as he and Kisara walked forward; they had really turned out for the competition. Despite being the technological centre of Japan and the gaming world, Domino still had a very traditional population, with many shrines and large turn outs for events such as the bentō competition. The downside of that being the many looks and stares he and Kisara were receiving; as long as the remnants of last night's news crews didn't bother them, they'd be fine.

"So he was really that short?"

Nodding his head, Seto smirked; on the way into Domino he'd been telling Kisara about Yugi Muto being the Duel Monsters champion and talk had eventually turned to the King of Games' short height three years ago. That said, the shrimp had had a growth spurt since then and now stood a little taller than Gardner, though that was probably because of his hair.

It had been Kosuke to drive them from the mansion again; for some reason he always seemed to be driving them to and fro these days. If Seto hadn't known any better, it would seem he had only one driver in his limousine fleet. But he did appreciate how accustomed Kisara had become to the kindly man.

It had been seven years since KaibaCorp had first started employing Kosuke and never once had the man called in sick, only taking days off when he had booked them in advance. He had young children, two boys below ten with his youngest daughter in her teens if he remembered correctly, and Roland was about to have a newborn. Despite the stocks being a bit low in value at the moment, KaibaCorp had plenty of reserve funds to fall back on; both men could do with a raise in their paycheques.

The blue irises seemed to be miles away as she looked up; even though he was standing right next to her - his arm comfortably around her shoulders - Kisara could tell that Seto's thoughts were focused on other issues. The snow was still falling heavily around them, along with the throngs of people making their way from stall to stall; the smell of spices and the sound of children laughing seemed to hang on the air, and yet Seto remained in his individual little world; completely secluded from the city-goers around him.

Smiling as she recalled his words from Schroeder's function last night, Kisara lifted her right hand to her left shoulder where his arm was resting.

"Smile Seto; it might never happen …"

Blinking at the familiar words and the feeling of slender fingers finding their way between his, Seto snapped out of his daze; Roland and Kosuke's paycheques could wait until morning. And there was that sly sparkle back again. Such a difference it made to her eyes, from intelligent and comprehending to playful and carefree; how those two personalities could exist side by side, he had no clue, but would love to find out some day. Smirking, Seto returned her holding of his hand and dipped his head a little lower.

Eight days ago she had sat across from Téa in the KaibaCorp lobby, mind lost amongst thoughts of a normal relationship. She had berated herself for wanting more from their arranged marriage than could be possible; envy had flared to life as Téa had accepted a kiss on the cheek from Yugi Muto … and now Kisara noticed how she done the same with startling ease.

"You're blushing."

As Seto spoke the words in her ear, Kisara saw a few more stares being cast her way and felt her cheeks redden just a little bit more; why was it that everyone seemed so interested in their lives? Had they not seen enough on the television last night, or even the papers that very morning?

"Everyone keeps looking …"

"And they'll just keep looking unless you ignore them; trust me."

And for one reason or another, trust him she did. France was a whole other world when compared to Japan … and he was her only link on how to cope with this new lifestyle. So far, Kisara had learned quite a lot. In the month since her arrival in Japan, the young woman felt as if she'd begun a new life in opposition to her old one.

A few more people passed, each one with a half-glance in their direction. It seemed each passing person was more interested in what he and Kisara were doing than where exactly they were walking; a fact driven home as one dubious young man almost waltzed into a lamp post.

"Why is everything priced so highly?"

Seto looked down as he heard her voice; Kisara was looking to one stall, where bentō was on show. The prices were ranged from eight-hundred Yen up to one thousand. He could easily understand why she thought the prices were so high, being from Europe where one uniform currency was the norm for most countries.

"A thousand Yen works out at about seven or eight Euro, so it's not really that expensive; just looks it numerically."

Well, that put it into perspective and, for some reason, it figured that Seto would be able to convert the currency mentally like that. Just as she was about to remark on the amount of stalls around them, Kisara was prevented by a new voice entering the fray.

"Mr. Kaiba, what do you have to say about SchroederCorp's opening last night?"

Not missing a beat, Seto looked to the newcomer with an icy glare, none too pleased at the interruption.

"No comment, and if you don't mind …"

No more words as the young CEO walked forward, leaving the reporter standing where he was. If only that journalist had been the only one; almost like moths attracted to a candle flame, questioning individuals began materialising from the crowd.

"How will KaibaCorp top SchroederCorp's opening?"

"Will the new dueling tournament really be the biggest so far?"

"Ms. Ashbrook, how do you find Japan?"

"How is life in Domino?"

"Is learning to live together a strain?"

"Are your friends and family okay with the marriage?"

"How do you two feel about the arranged marriage?"

It didn't matter how many times he stated, or growled _no comment_; the questions just kept coming faster and heavier. What did these people care? All they wanted to do was sell their papers and get the front-page headline. Anything concerning himself or Kisara was certified to shift the copies off the shelves in seconds at this rate.

More incognito reporters joined the growing group in front of them, pushing closer, each scribbling notes or asking a question; there was even a minuscule voice recorder in one young woman's hand. The questions were now becoming increasingly daft; colours, food preferences, the name of the small husky puppy they'd been spotted with.

"I said no comment."

Pushing past one of the men, Seto felt Kisara's hand gripping his arm tighter. He glanced down and saw the blush on her cheeks; she really wasn't comfortable in the spot light at all, why couldn't the journalists see that? Oblivious to the situation, they merely pressed all the closer, whipped into a frenzy of questions.

"Are there children in the future?"

"Would you say that you're happy being match-made?"

"Kisara, how do feel about being Mrs. Seto Kaiba?"

"N-no … c-comment."

Those were the only words that forced themselves from her constricted throat, and still the questions came. Why weren't these people busy querying Zigfried or anyone else in the world besides her? She'd only wanted to find out more about Japan, and enjoy the day … but it seemed that was an ideal beyond her reach right now. Kisara looked to the ground as she felt her cheeks burn a little more; why couldn't they leave them in peace?

And just as it seemed the questions would become too much, they abruptly stopped, along with a sudden change in scenery. Why they had ended up walking in this particular direction, Seto had no clue, but it seemed a bit too ironic in his opinion. The small bell above the shop door jingled noisily as the door closed behind them, and he reached behind to turn the lock. The stares of Yugi's gang seemed to pin them

where they stood; the Muto gameshop was empty of customers today, most likely due to the bentō competition.

"Hey rich-boy, the hell you doin' here?"

"It was the reporters or you Wheeler, something tells me I made the wrong decision though."

The blond didn't take very kindly to that come-back, but was timely restrained by a surprised-looking Yugi and a laughing Duke Devlin. Solomon Muto was another startled face, but his aged eyes soon focused on the young woman standing beside Kaiba; so this was the Kisara Téa had been telling him about for the past week or two; she did look a timid girl.

"I apologise for the interruption, Mr. Muto and KaibaCorp will gladly reimburse you for any lost sales."

Confusion at the youth's words before the old man realised what exactly Seto Kaiba was speaking about; the locked door, with a crowd of people outside it. A kindly laugh and shake of his head.

"Oh, don't worry about that; we weren't going to sell much today anyway."

How the man could be so nonchalant towards him, Seto didn't know, especially when after all he'd put him through a few years ago. Between the fourth Blue-Eyes card, the damage KaibaCorp had done to his sales and the long-standing rivalry with Yugi, Seto was surprised Muto hadn't thrown them back out to the reporters already. At least the old man didn't hold a grudge.

* * *

Two hours, or was it three? It didn't really matter now as the limo travelled along the quiet road back to the mansion. They'd ended up staying in the Muto gameshop a lot longer than he'd meant to, initially due to the stalking reporters outside. The journalists had waited for almost two hours before slowly disappearing back into the crowd, and he would have left the gameshop then if it hadn't been for Kisara and Téa. The two had been chatting and he could see that they got along well. He felt strangely grateful to Gardner; grateful that she and Kisara got along as well as they did. Because those two were such good friends, he'd silently endured an extra hour or so of Wheeler.

The snow had stopped a while ago, but a blanket of white still lay thick on the grounds of the mansion, making the whole place look like it was asleep. Despite the early hour of the evening, it was already becoming dark.

"What would you think of another big opening function?"

Blinking, Kisara looked up to Seto as the limo drove through the gates to the mansion's grounds.

"Not at Schroeder's, surely?"

He couldn't stop himself from chuckling at the uncertainty in her voice; she no more wanted to endure Schroeder than he did. Despite the failed attempt at a normal evening out and the hours spent in Wheeler's company, it had been better than being cooped up in the study or at KaibaCorp. Better for only one reason; he'd got to spend time with her again.

Shaking his head, the young man noticed how Kisara didn't sit over at the other window as she had the day they'd visited the pet store; she was sitting with her head leaning against him. The truth was, some of the questions those reporters had been asking managed to get stuck in his head; what could KaibaCorp do to top Schroeder?

"No, not at Schroeder's; for the new dueling tournament. KaibaCorp needs something big to kick off with, so I was thinking about inviting all the participating duelists."

Kisara nodded her head; it sounded like a good idea to her, but she wasn't one to ask; normally these kinds of things were set up in advance and she was informed later. The limo came to a smooth stop at the stone steps leading up to the mansion's grand double doors.

"Thanks Kosuke."

"My pleasure Mr Kaiba, Ms. Ashbrook."

The air was frigid as she stepped out of the limo, running her hands up and down her arms; there was still plenty more snow to fall. A few yaps could be heard from behind the doors as they ascended the icy steps; Kai had heard the limousine. Despite hearing the puppy, Seto frowned; it was way too quiet. Mokuba usually had the television on at a high volume setting around this time, and he couldn't hear any telltale music.

Opening the door only allowed Kai to bound out, barking and yapping as her fluffy tail lashed from side to side, obviously happy to see Kisara and her favourite chew-toy returning.

"What do you have?"

Kisara laughed as she wrangled the latest item from Kai's teeth; what looked to be a red-coloured bauble with golden glitter. Raising his eyebrows as he saw the orb in Kisara's hand, Seto looked around the foyer; there were other baubles spilt across the marble floor.

"Where did she find those?"

A noise from the living room claimed his attention as Kai leapt from Kisara's arms and headed through the door. Taking a few steps towards the opened door, Seto stopped; Kisara was standing still behind him, her attention elsewhere.

"Wow …"

Turning as he heard her voice, Seto saw exactly where Kai had found the baubles, and what had held Kisara fixated in place; the large staircase had been decorated with garlands of tinsel and countless baubles. A small, tastefully-adorned tree stood alert and sentry on either side of the stairs. Hearing footsteps, he looked towards the living room, only to see Mokuba and Rebecca, with Kai in her arms. smiling widely, the younger Kaiba brother spoke first.

"Do you know how long it took us and the maids to do this?"

Looking back to the staircase and spotting a large tree through the open door of the living room, Seto looked back to his brother; when Mokuba had mentioned Christmas decorations earlier, he hadn't thought the teen was so adamant. Given a day or two and he would have gleaned some free time off work to help with the decorating. Rebecca laughed and chipped in as she saw the surprise on Seto's face.

"You have some seriously big spiders in that attic!"

* * *

**A/n-**** Thanks a million for reading and please tell me what you thought of it! Thanks again guys! XxxxxxX**

2nd Revision - 22/February/2011


	16. Little Voices

**Author's Note:** Hi guys, sorry for the wait in uploading; I just got back from France when my exam results came out, so things have been kind of hectic, along with **Renolvr** hogging the computer. Anyways, here's the newest chapter and I really hope you like it! XxxxxX

* * *

"_Trying hard not to hear but they talk so loud / Their piercing sounds fill my ears, try to fill me with doubt"_

* * *

As irrational as it seemed, he felt as though he hadn't seen his office in a lifetime. Had the weekend really been that long? Friday had been a rushed blur of preparing for Schroeder's stupid opening thing, Saturday had been the longest day of his life, as the hangover had kept its horrible claws on him for hours, only relenting for a short while in Domino. That short while of peace had been cut even shorter when the reporters had descended upon them, forcing him into Wheeler's company.

Sighing in a bid to hide a yawn, Seto used his foot to turn the large leather chair around, looking out the glass-paned wall of his office. The Monday-morning sun was only just beginning to tint the early sky with colour; the light pink glow radiated from one area to the east of the city skyline.

Despite having a mountain of work to catch up on, including various new deals, the new proposal from Industrial Illusions and now an itinerary all alone dedicated to the new bash intended to kick-off the upcoming tournament, Seto couldn't stop his mind from wandering. Glancing down at the still-sleeping world below him, he groaned and ran a free hand through his hair.

It was just coming up on eight o'clock and the Domino would soon be bustling, just as the mansion would. No doubt that Mokuba was already awake, probably getting Kisara to run through his French homework. Actually scratch that; the teen didn't have a French period on Mondays. Knowing Mokuba as he did, Seto reckoned the kid would have neglected the weekend French homework until tonight and would steal a sleep-in this morning. How he had memorised his younger brother's class timetable was a mystery to Seto as he watched a lonely plane inch across the lightening sky. He had no doubts that Kisara would be awake already, probably out walking through the grounds with Kai.

A knock on the door stirred the CEO from his thoughts. The plane was disappearing behind one of the tall scrapers; commodities of the cityscape.

"Come in."

It was the second-in-command of the KaibaCorp security, a young man named Isamu, who entered; he had news concerning a few duelists and hackers who had attempted to hack into KaibaCorp's mainframe network yesterday evening. They had been trying to access the new tournament plans, but the hack had failed immediately as the company's tech team had detected the intrusion. Despite not succeeding in getting the information they wanted, the hackers had managed to give a few bored KaibaCorp technicians some amusement in planting a few viruses in the attacking computers. Those responsible had been found within an hour and legal action was the next option, but Seto declined to initiate court proceedings due to the hackers being mere teens, possibly even younger than Mokuba. The viruses his employees had set loose would decimate the kids' computers, rendering them useless and their parents had also been notified of the situation. If it happened again, he wouldn't be so lenient.

"Thanks Isamu, I want a constant surveillance on all incoming messages, especially on any from SchroederCorp."

The suited man nodded and, with a deep customary bow, took leave of the large office. As a light snow began to fall, Seto half-turned his attention back to the view of Domino. Some might say he was over-reacting and being much too suspicious of the German, but he dismissed those opinions; looking back at what Zigfried had tried to pull off at the last tournament, he considered his actions wholly justified; especially with the newest tournament starting up in mere weeks. Any cyber attack would ruin the previous months of campaigning, and the KaibaCorp stocks had only just reclaimed their usual value as things stood.

The office door clicked shut quietly as Isamu pulled it closed behind him. Twenty-five and already next in command to Roland. Only four years older than him and yet the KaibaCorp building was ripe with gossip that Isamu had finally started to settle down with a girlfriend, much to the dismay of the female employees. And yet, here he sat engaged to be married.

He hadn't even seen Kisara this morning; the maids hadn't even arrived at the mansion when he'd left. There was just too much work to be done at KaibaCorp right now, and he'd been admittedly lazy in the last few days. What with Schroeder's thing on Friday and the bentō competition on Saturday, Seto had decided to actually relax on Sunday; the young man couldn't remember the last time he had just relaxed for a day without bothering to look at the laptop, or disappear to his study. He'd taught Kisara a few basic business things, as promised, and she now knew what made stock values go up and down; she'd seemed to grasp the concept rather fast. Giving into his curiosity, which had been growing since she had eloquently corrected Schroeder at his opening bash, he had asked her how she had known so much about his duel with Zigfried and the German's dueling strategy. Her answer had been one of simplicity, but had still managed to bring a smirk to his face.

"_Téa and Youtube, but mostly Téa_."

He'd also tested her dueling abilities; despite not being overly-familiar with the game, Kisara was a quick learner and had put up a feasible fight before losing, and then Kai had decided to scamper off with the game mats they had been using. That had resulted in an amusing ten minutes of chasing the puppy around the mansion; the newly-decorated mansion. As much as he viewed Christmas as an over-rated holiday, Seto had to admit that the decorations brought a new air into the mansion; the maids laughed and joked in good spirits all day Sunday, and so had Kisara …

He felt guilty for not telling her he was leaving so early, which made no sense to him really. He had walked away from countless girls after one night of meaningless satisfaction, and he'd never wanted to tell them where he was going; not even caring that he'd most likely never see them again. Those women had given him what they could offer of their pleasures for a single night, been one for a fleeting time whilst sharing intimacy, but they had been complete strangers to him. Kisara merely revealed snippets of herself now and then; a laugh and joke coupled with a slyer, more coy tone or maybe the shy, quiet persona the outside world saw. He was privy to that playful side of her when no one else was, and it felt like a privilege to him. Why she was so guarded, Seto didn't know and yearned to discover the reason at the same time.

The young man felt as though he wanted to pursue her in order to learn more, this feeling only being intensified by the fact that he had only tasted her lips. She hadn't tried to jump into bed straight away when they had returned from Schroeder's thing; only a kiss that had left him feeling strangely content for the first time in a long time. It wasn't like the girls of past times, where even the sex and time spent holding the woman had done nothing to satisfy him. His bodily needs might have been satisfied, but a void had always existed in what he was now beginning to acknowledge as his heart … with just a simple kiss, Kisara seemed to shrink that chasm a little.

The sun was now half-risen, with only a watery semicircle visible above the skyline of Domino. Glancing down to the streets far below, Seto could discern a few people entering his building; he'd been the very first person to arrive this morning, only to be greeted by a timely phone call from Roland; Emiko had finally gone into labour and he consequently wouldn't be in for work. The call was unnecessary, but Seto still wondered how Roland knew he'd find him at the office so early; was he really that easy to read?

Isamu was in charge until his superior returned, but Seto doubted he'd see Roland for a week or two yet to come. Emiko had yet to give birth as her labour was one of those long marathons of agony he'd heard the female employees speaking about.

As he turned the chair back around and his fingers typed at the keyboard automatically, Seto's mind somehow connected his thoughts of Roland's new arrival to the words of the reporters on Saturday afternoon, when he and Kisara had literally been swarmed at the bentō competition.

"_Are there children in the future_?"

That question had made him angry; what right had those information-hungry dogs to ask such a private query? He had never asked Roland if he and Emiko were planning on having more children, and Seto considered the man somewhat of a friend; if friends declined to pry as such, then why should a greedy reporter choose to? Simple answer really; to shift papers and magazines. The Sunday newspapers had contained front-page articles of him and Kisara at the bentō competition, though they had been embellished by the colourful words of the editors, along with a new poll in various magazines, asking who the hottest celebrity couple were right now; apparently he and Kisara were front-runners.

As much as he loathed the reporter for asking it, that particular question had never entered his mind prior to Saturday evening. In his years as CEO of the world's largest and most successful gaming company, it had never once occurred to Seto that he would someday need to hand KaibaCorp's helm to another and abdicate his power. But who could he possibly entrust with the empire he had built? Mokuba was the first person to spring to mind, of course, but Seto already knew how different the teenager was from him. Whereas he would have no qualms with being caged in an office all day long, tirelessly working on schematics or new board propositions, Seto knew the youth would bore of such a thing, even as a grown adult. His little brother's personality and was very different from his and the young man realised this; even though Mokuba would gladly carry the burden of KaibaCorp without complaint, he would end up resenting the company.

_If not Mokuba, then who_?

That little voice - the one that had questioned him about his life points - was back again, though this time it was questioning a whole other topic. Who would run KaibaCorp in the future? Seconds of silent pondering left Seto with only one possible answer.

"My son."

Or daughter; whichever came first. The ease with which he had ultimately come to the decision made the young man apprehensive; his mind had just presumed he would have more than one child, if any at all.

_If any at all_?

Damned voice. It wasn't that he didn't want children or anything, Seto had just never imagined that far ahead in life. He'd often seen Roland on days off, with his wife and two boys; Daiki and Taku. On more than one occasion, he'd seen the younger one, Taku, sitting on his father's shoulders with the elder hung out of Roland's arm. The two boys, though only seven and four years of age, were never content with standing still and always wanted to be investigating something else. The patience required to parent young children was that of enormous amounts.

A patience Seto genuinely doubted he possessed.

He just couldn't see himself in Roland's place; he didn't even know how a father was supposed to act. His own father had died many years ago, leaving him and Mokuba in the care of relatives. Then the orphanage and that godforsaken man. A father, dad, role-model … those were titles Gozaburo Kaiba had never held. Seto had no problem picturing Kisara as a mother though; she had the patience to deal with kids in his opinion. She'd make a much better parent than he ever would, that much was for sure.

Why was he even thinking so far ahead? It wasn't as if he had to relinquish KaibaCorp in the foreseeable future. Another groan before the young man shook his head and returned his unreliable attention back to the computer screen in front of him.

* * *

Despite the umpteen times he had browsed through the shelves of booster packs, Joey Wheeler did it almost religiously every time he entered the Muto gameshop; if he didn't look, he might miss out on something. Three weeks until the new tournament started up and he couldn't wait for the chance to dust off his deck, it was just a pity that rich-boy wasn't competing this year, though the blond reckoned Kaiba had enough on his plate.

The thought that rich-boy was actually getting married still freaked him out to no end. He'd known this guy since high-school, and he was getting married. Not just that, but Joey had always thought that Kaiba would get a typical corporate wife; the daughter of some other tycoon, being rich, spoiled, addicted to money and just as snobby as he perceived Seto Kaiba to be.

Kisara was far, far from that.

"You okay, Joey? You're very quiet."

Téa's voice floated out from store room of the gameshop; when she'd heard the bell above the door jingle and no one asking for help, she'd assumed it was the blond; he had a habit of continually looking through the booster packs, a trait which annoyed her as any new stock was in the storage area, not on the shelves.

"Yeah, I'm good; nothin' to complain 'bout."

Whether Téa spoke again to him, Joey didn't know; his attention span with the booster packs had ended as his eye had been caught by something else. Walking up to the counter, the young man picked up the magazine his friend had been reading; the front page sported a picture of Kaiba and Kisara from Schroeder's function, along with a large-print caption.

"_Kaiba and Ashbrook romance heating up_?"

As much as he disliked Kaiba and enjoyed ragging on him, Joey did feel some amount of pity for the company-owner; it seemed as though his face was everywhere now, along with his fiancée's. Kisara … he had felt a lot of pity for her when he'd first met her, but that pity had waned in the last week or so. Although he hadn't seen her before she moved to Japan, he had had a sense of déjà vu about her, only overcoming it last week.

Three years ago, they had all gone to Egypt and, as foggy as the details of that strange trip were, he'd seen her there. She had been a little different then; hair length, voice and a whole lot thinner in the past, but those eyes were what he recognised the most; she had been that roughed-up girl the people had been throwing rocks at. And the guy who had saved her from the rocks had looked a hell of a lot like one Seto Kaiba he knew.

He hated thinking about this kind of stuff; the whole trip to Egypt, and then into the past and someone else's memory was confusing enough without trying to recall people he had seen for a few seconds, but her eyes had always stayed in his memory. That was why he'd faltered when she'd vouched for Kaiba all those weeks ago, when he'd been late for the registration day.

If he could remember her, did that mean the others could too? Tristan, Téa and Yugi had seen her when they had been chasing the big fat guy, Bobassa, or some other name like that. He couldn't be the only one, but Téa had never mentioned it, despite being pretty good friends with Kisara Ashbrook.

Looking out from the store room, Téa saw what was keeping Joey so quiet; his attention was focused on the magazine she'd been reading about an hour ago, but his eyes weren't following the text; they were glued to the image of Kaiba and Kisara and he was looking a bit confused. She knew that he could remember her too.

"Joey, don't mention it."

"Huh?"

"You know what I mean. Whatever we saw three years ago was another time and another world; the lives of other people."

His eyes didn't look up to her as he spoke, just kept studying the shy young woman in the picture.

"Does Yugi remember?"

A nod from Téa; he had mentioned it to her only a few days ago and come to the same conclusion as her about the whole Egypt saga.

"He thinks we shouldn't mention it; I'm sure Kisara has no memories and Kaiba wasn't there when we saw her, so he wouldn't know either. Joey, you have Mai and I have Yugi … even Mokuba and Rebecca have each other; it's about time Kaiba got a break too."

She was right, he knew that much, and he wouldn't have said anything to rich-boy either; Kaiba would have thought he was just blowing steam at him. It was somewhat of a relief to know the others recognised her too, but it was still weird, not only that Kaiba was getting married, but of all people to the girl his doppelganger had saved three years ago.

* * *

"Mokuba, you're going to be late!"

Groaning, the teenager turned over and buried his head beneath the pillows; there was no way it could be morning already, it just wasn't possible. But as the noise of the mansion gradually began to reach his ears and he recognised the calling voice as Aki's, Mokuba resigned himself to the fact that it was a Monday morning.

He hated Monday mornings. Weeks should start on a Tuesday in his opinion; it would make it a hell of a lot easier to get up. At least it was the last school-Monday for a few weeks to come; Domino's high-school broke up for the Christmas holidays at the end of this week. Now, where had he left his uniform, his homework, schoolbag and everything else he needed?

The notion of pulling a sickie entered his mind; all he had to do was bring in a note tomorrow morning to explain why he was out and he'd be able to sleep while his friends endured a double English period. Toying with the idea for a few seconds, the sixteen-year-old dismissed it; there was no way Aki or Akari would fall for it. The last time he had feigned a stomach bug, the two maids had figured him out in minutes and sent him packing on his way to school.

The mansion was already awake as he left the warm sanctity of his duvet, with the maids calling to each other up and down the hall, along with Kai's yapping. It only took minutes to find the trousers of his uniform, along with the blue blazer and a pair of socks, but no shirt; the location of the garment eluded him.

Opening the door and heading downstairs, with sleep still in his eyes, Mokuba found one trainer half-way down the staircase and the other in the doorway to the living room, both with telltale chewed lacers. Yawning, the teen padded his way into the kitchen, placing two slices of bread in the toaster, closing his eyes and leaning his head on his hands as he waited for the minute or so to pass; he really didn't do Monday mornings.

"Where's your shirt?"

That was Akari's voice taunting his appearance. Without opening his heavy eyes, Mokuba shrugged.

"Don't know, I couldn't find it in my room and my trainers were chewed, so I'm blaming Kai."

"Mokuba, I've heard of dogs eating homework, but eating a shirt is a new one!"

The maid was laughing as she walked away from him, going through the door to the utility room, where all the laundry was washed and dried. A few seconds of rooting through a folded pile of clothes paid up as she located another of his uniform shirts.

"Here you go, just keep it away from Kai."

"Thanks, Akari."

Just as the young woman exited the kitchen with a basket of linen, having handed him a shirt, the toaster popped. Groaning as he saw the black colour of his breakfast, Mokuba fished a blunt knife from the cutlery drawer; why did it only burn one side of the bread? Why never two? He'd only had the toaster on a low setting; the machine just didn't like him, he'd come to find; without fail, it always burnt his toast. Full of contempt for the conniving contraption, the teenager grudgingly began to scrape at the black; there'd be nothing left of the bread by the time he finished.

"You left this in the living room."

It wasn't Akari or Aki to place his schoolbag on the counter, the voice was too soft to be either of the maids'.

"Thanks Kisara."

She looked as though she just was back from her customary walk around the grounds, with a tint of red on her cheeks and tip of her nose, most likely from the cold air outside; the snow was still falling lightly and a heavy blanket remained on the ground. Kai scampered into the kitchen a few seconds later, shaking melting snowflakes from her thick coat.

Glancing up at the clock, Mokuba shouldered his bag and, with the toast in his hand, headed for the door; the limo would have to go slow on the icy roads and he doubted the English teacher would be happy with him late for her class yet again.

"Talk to you later, Kisara!"

"Bye Mokuba."

The teenager was already half-way to the front door; the prospect of detention for being late didn't entertain him much. Not too sure what to do with herself, Kisara picked up the newspaper on the counter. It seemed awfully surreal to be reading about herself, especially someone else's view of her.

She had always tried not to judge someone before she met them, and yet these people wrote about her as if they'd known her all their lives; one paper had even stated of how she would like to have a large family, consisting of all boys. How absurd; she was only twenty, a year out of adolescence. Why would she have decided on a family already? The thought of having children had never occurred to her before, so why should these people dictate these choices for her?

_But you let other people dictate your choices for you _…

Kisara frowned as she heard the little voice that seemed to squeeze in amongst her thoughts, effortlessly correcting her. As the taunting voice contradicted her, the young woman suddenly felt the mansion was a whole lot lonelier with Mokuba gone. She hadn't seen Seto today; Akari had mentioned something about him being gone before she had arrived at the mansion that morning. Apparently, this was the weekday norm when KaibaCorp called for its owner.

Pulling her long tresses over one shoulder, Kisara slowed her actions in order to scrutinise the strands. Though other people mightn't see it, there was still a hint of light blonde present near the ends; it had grown out quickly enough after years of dying, but she still knew it was there, just as she knew her blue irises had been the perfect disguise for her Asian parentage. The one thing they hadn't been able to make European had been the angle of her eyes or their slightly hooded appearance.

For so many years she had learned about France and Europe and her maternal heritage had remained unexplored, until she had met Seto. He didn't seem to mind explaining the meaning of words, or indulging her keen interest in Japan; she found everything so intriguing and wanted to learn all she could about the country. She felt sad that she had missed out on that half of her heritage, forced into learning all about Europe instead.

As much as she disliked the little voice, Kisara recognised its words as the truth, hearing numerous commands in her ears; instructions she had been told from an early age.

"Don't speak unless anyone speaks to you, and only short answers."

"Pay attention!"

"Sit with your back straight, Sara!"

Sara … that had been another person; the one she had left all the way back in France, Kisara seemed to have a much better life in her opinion.

_It's not your place to have an opinion._

Shutting away the voice rather suddenly, the young woman tied her long hair into a restraining ponytail and walked from the kitchen, intent on giving the piano upstairs a workout. Only as she walked up the stairs, hands brushing against the rustling tinsel, did Kisara realise why the mansion felt lonelier this morning, and it wasn't because of Mokuba's departure for school. It was because she missed Seto.

* * *

**A/n-**** Thanks a million for taking the time to read it guys, and I really hope you like it. XxxxxxxxxxX**

2nd Revision - 1/March/2011


	17. Night

**Author's Note:** Hi guys! I'm really sorry for the long wait in updates; I really didn't know what to write. As a result, this chapter might seem a little thin, but the next few will be better, I promise! Hope you like it! XxxxxxxxxxxxX

* * *

"_My heart melted to the ground, found something true"_

* * *

"Really?"

Akari nodded her head as she folded a pillowcase. It had been Kimiko to ask the question; she was the quietest out of the three of them; herself, Kimiko and Aki. She'd just told her them of Saturday afternoon and the scene in the kitchen that she had walked in on. Curiosity getting the better of her, Aki lowered the other pillowcase and looked to her friend.

"What did you do?"

"I acted professionally and calmly walked past th-"

A snort from Kimiko cut Akari's embellished account rather short, causing the youngest maid to laugh and relay what she had actually done those two days ago.

"I dropped the basket of laundry and freaked out, okay?"

That was enough to set her two friends off into giggles; if there was one thing Akari and her two friends were known for, it was their incessant laughing. The other seven maids were all older and usually reprimanded the girls for their high spirits, but what was wrong with having a laugh during work?

Still smiling, Akari picked up the pillowcase Aki had discarded and absently folded it; today was a Monday, so that meant the beds had to be turned down, and the linen changed; a job that took hours when faced with the countless bedrooms in the mansion. The older maids had kindly left the mundane job to them and set to work on the rest of the chores.

"Well, I'm happy things are looking up for them."

Aki raised an eyebrow at Kimiko's words, a smug smile on her face as she picked up two corners of the duvet-cover, with Akari holding the two opposite corners.

"Looking up, or _heating_ up?"

A pillow thrown her way was the young woman's answer from her friend, along with another laugh from Akari. Finishing the folding of the duvet-cover, the young maid simply smiled and winked.

"I'm just saying … you should have seen how cosy they looked; dancing around the foyer, until Roland made us go back to work."

Akari nodded her head in agreement with Aki, a pout on her face as she recalled Roland's ending of their espionage; she wanted to know how the dancing had ended.

"Where is he today anyways?"

Kimiko shrugged as Aki asked the question; Roland was usually the one to check up on them, just to make sure they were actually working instead of joking around, and his absence around the mansion didn't go unnoticed.

"His wife went into labour this morning, so he's gonna be missing for a while."

Akari's answer garnered knowing looks from her two friends as they exchanged glances; the youngest of the maids always knew what was going on in the security team and why certain individuals would be missing on some days. Smiling in a sly fashion, Aki fixed her attention on the duvet as she placed a new cover on it, speaking as she did so.

"Did lovely Isamu tell you this?"

It was Akari's turn to blush as she diverted her attention to the pillowcases she was currently pulling over the sets of pillows, fighting back a smile. Kimiko made no attempt at hiding her large grin as she helped Aki with the duvet cover.

"Akari and Isamu sitting in a tree, first comes love, then-"

Breaking into a large smile with a bright blush, Akari grabbed one of the pillows she had just finished with, throwing it at her friends in a bid to quieten them. It had been bad enough when just her friends had known of her new man, but now the whole staff of the mansion and the KaibaCorp building knew.

"I'll finish up here; you two start on the next room."

Aki and Kimiko didn't need to be told twice as they made a hasty exit from the guest bedroom; finishing off a room was always the worst part of the chore. The heavy basket had to be brought down two or three flights of stairs to the utility room behind the kitchen, and then lugged back up filled with the clean linen.

Bending down to pick up a few stray items, Akari's mind flashed back to her dropping the basket in the kitchen and Kisara's immediate helping. To be honest, she hadn't thought much of Kisara Ashbrook when the woman had arrived at the Kaiba mansion over a month ago; none of them really had. They had seen Seto Kaiba with so many different women over the years, it had seemed impossible for the young man to be married; tied down to just one lover. When the mystery lady had finally arrived, the prospect had seemed all the more outrageous.

Lively, feisty, confident, loud and arrogant; these were the attributes held by the many women she had seen in the mansion, and none of those traits seemed applicable to Ms. Ashbrook. She was quiet, shy and not at all very confident, but she did hold one trait those other women hadn't; she was genuine.

Over a month she had been living here now and, much to her own surprise, Akari had come to find she liked the French woman. She had seemed much too meek for her liking in the beginning; ill-suited to Mr. Kaiba in her opinion. She, Aki and Kimiko had had a few laughs at the young woman's expense early on, like when she and Mr. Kaiba had stepped in each other's way. Then the quiet young woman had gone upstairs to play the piano, picking bum notes for a few seconds, something that them giggle all the more until Ms. Ashbrook had begun to play the instrument seriously and made them bite their tongues at once. She had seen the newcomer in a different light since then.

Picking up the heavy basket and resting it on her hip, Akari set out for the third-floor landing and the wide staircase, limping ever so slightly as she did so. Then had come last Monday morning when all hell had broken loose in the mansion, between unexpected visits from KaibaCorp officials and the SchroederCorp invitation. Kisara had coped much better than Akari had thought she would; the young woman had managed to answer the door to the businessmen and help Mokuba with his homework, amidst chasing after Kai. That had been the first day she had spoken to the young woman, as opposed to giggling at her, and on Friday she had not only been privy to the little dancing scene in the foyer, but had also helped Kisara get ready for Schroeder's function.

From what one of the drivers had told her, it seemed Kosuke had ratted herself and Aki out for their spying skills. Isamu had even heard about it by that night when they had sat down to watch the coverage of the red carpet; word travelled fast through the staff.

"Hold the door!"

Having descended the stairs without even noticing, her mind occupied by other thoughts, Akari called out to the older maid entering the kitchen; her hands were full as it was and she didn't fancy dropping the basket yet again. Rushing the last few steps, the short maid smiled her thanks at her colleague and placed the heavy basket of linen on the table.

"Are you nearly done up there yet?"

The other maid, a middle-aged woman by the name of Naoki, was standing in the doorway, asking the question. She wasn't the worst of the older seven; the worst had to be the fifty-something year-old one.

"Just about; Aki and Kimiko started on the last room and I'll head up with the clean basket in a minute or two. What about down here?"

"We're pretty much done, just a few small things left."

Nodding her head, Akari smiled as Naoki walked back into the foyer, most likely to clean up some tinsel Kai had been using as a chew-toy. It had taken them hours to decorate the place and the little fur-ball could wreck it in a matter of seconds.

Grabbing an armful of dirty linen, the young maid headed for the utility room, using her foot to kick the door open. She smiled to herself as she passed the place where Mr. Kaiba and Ms. Ashbrook had been standing on Saturday. She didn't know why she had dropped the basket so suddenly; she had just been caught a little off-guard at the closeness between the two, she guessed.

Turning the dial on the large washing machine, Akari lifted the bundle of folded clean linen and headed back to the kitchen, filling the basket and lifting it back onto her hip. Glancing at the clock on the wall in the foyer, she smiled to herself as she noticed how quick the day had flown by; just another two hours until she clocked-off.

* * *

What was he supposed to say to him? Yes? No? Possibly-maybe? Why did he have to ask him, of all people? Trying to put the question to the back of his mind, Seto turned his attention to the grand double-doors of his home; it had been one long, long, long day and he wanted nothing but to actually relax for a while. The light was on in the living room window.

The mansion had never looked as inviting as it did now, nor had he ever wanted to be inside its walls so much; away from work, reporters, officials and complicated questions.

"Good night, Mr. Kaiba!"

Blinking at the cheerful voice, Seto looked to the stone steps, where Akari was quickly descending them, despite the ice. She seemed a different person when not in her maid uniform, dressed in simple baggy jeans and a much-too-big hooded sweater he thought he recognised.

"Good night, Akari. Do you need a ride into Domino?"

The petite young woman shook her head as she reached the last step, slipping a little on the ice but regaining her balance in a second. Her small frame seemed excessively tiny as she was swamped by the hoody, her hands disappearing into the sleeves.

"No thanks, sir, my ride's just here now."

The frigid air, foretelling of more snow during the night, turned her breath into a white cloud as she spoke. The noise of a motor interrupted the quiet, with a black car pulling up at the base of the steps. The car was one he didn't recognise, but the driver was familiar to him.

"This is me."

Still smiling as she did everyday, the maid pulled the large sweater tighter around her and headed for the passenger side of the car. That was why he had recognised the hoody; Isamu had been wearing it on his last day off, when he had appeared at KaibaCorp to check up on his weekly working hours. So Akari was Isamu's girlfriend, the one all the female staff were now jealous of.

Smiling at the fact, Seto made his way up the steps rather quickly; the cold was beginning to bite at him now. He wouldn't be going to KaibaCorp tomorrow; he'd made sure of that today by taking care of any pressing matters and keeping tomorrow's itinerary completely clear. Roland and Kosuke's paycheques would have a pleasing surprise in them at the end of the week.

So used to the little devil by now, Seto immediately closed the door behind him, much to Kai's disappointment. For some reason, she liked to disappear in the snow for an hour or two at a time; even with her thick coat and her breed's connotation with tundra, it was freezing out there and she was only a young pup.

"No …"

A yap answered him as he picked up the little ball of fluff; she had really grown since her arrival at the mansion. Whereas he'd been able to lift the pup effortlessly with one hand, Seto found he was using both hands to lift the gangly thing now. Seeing that the living room door was open, the young CEO headed for the room, knowing his little brother wasn't the one in there; the volume wasn't half as loud enough for the occupant to be Mokuba.

Seeing no one sitting on the couch, Seto walked up to it; trust Mokuba to leave the television on when he wasn't even in the room. Placing Kai on the ground, the young man reached over the back of the sofa to pick up the remote control, but stopped short. There was a person in the room alright, but she wasn't watching the screen; she was fast asleep.

Smirking despite himself, Seto lowered the volume of the television. All day he had glanced around his office, feeling like something was missing; his laptop had been there, as had everything else he had needed … well, almost everything. He had remained stumped as to what exactly had been amiss all day long. But now he knew what he had been missing; her.

Three years ago he would have laughed at himself for such a weakness. Just over one month ago he would have probably done the same thing. But Seto didn't bother to berate himself as he looked down at her sleeping form; if Kisara was his weakness, then maybe having a weakness wasn't all that bad.

* * *

The image of a white dragon and purple flash was what made her wake rather violently from her sleep; she'd definitely been watching way too many duels on Youtube. Laughing at her own racing heartbeat, Kisara noticed how dark it had become; the only light in the room came from the large television screen, the volume barely audible.

Furrowing her eyebrows, Kisara could have sworn she'd had the volume louder than that, then again she hadn't meant to fall asleep either. Seeing that her mobile phone had fallen to he ground, the young woman leaned forward and picked it up.

A message from Téa, asking if she was busy tomorrow. Looking at the time display on the small screen, Kisara was surprised to find it was almost midnight. No wonder the mansion was so quiet; Mokuba was probably in bed already or trying to finish some homework for the morning. The light from the phone's screen danced over her sleeve and onto white; she wasn't wearing any white clothes today. A small smile broke through as Kisara recognised the long trench coat, with the KC pin on its collar. Rubbing sleep from her eyes, the young woman stood up, yawning as she did so. Gathering the trench coat in her arms, she headed for the door of the living room, where light was spilling in from the foyer.

The strong light, combined with the bright tinsel made her blink a few times; she had slept for hours without meaning to. The last thing she remembered was Akari asking a few things about France. Kisara had really changed her opinion of Akari in the last week; the young woman was quite likeable.

Stopping for a second, Kisara wondered where she should head first; the study to give Seto back his much-appreciated coat, or to the kitchen where the food was stored. An eager growl from her stomach solved the problem in an instant. Heading for the kitchen door, Kisara smiled as she saw Kai asleep in her little bed; at least she wasn't the only one who had felt a little tired.

The smell of food wafting from the kitchen seemed to hasten her steps; maybe Mokuba wasn't asleep yet. The teenager had some peculiar eating habits; she had heard Kai yapping the other night and had come downstairs to investigate, only to find him eating a large bowl of ice-cream at the one o'clock in the morning.

But it wasn't Mokuba in the kitchen tonight; Kisara found her two goals - finding some food and giving Seto back his coat - had conveniently combined into one tonight.

He hadn't heard her enter; the door was a silent swinging one that allowed the maids to pass through with ease. He was working; the laptop was open and his blue eyes fixed onto the illuminated screen; the smell of food was coming from a plate of steaming onigiri on the table, one half-eaten rice-ball was held in his hand.

"Thank you …"

Those two words made his cobalt eyes abandon the portable computer in an instant, the onigiri placed on the table as he stood up, walking closer with his familiar smirk.

"You're welcome."

Her stomach chose then to let loose a rather loud and drawn-out growl of hunger. Blushing at the involuntary noise, Kisara pinned her stomach with a blaming look. She blinked as her arms were relieved of the heavy jacket and he spoke.

"Help yourself; there's plenty."

"Thanks."

Kisara smiled gratefully as she sat down, stifling a yawn - how could she _still_ feel tired after sleeping for so long? The large house seemed so quiet at this time of night, with no maids flitting around and no Roland popping up here and there; he hadn't appeared once in the mansion today, something she found unusual. Looking to where Seto had just sat back down at the laptop, Kisara swallowed her mouthful of food and spoke.

"Work?"

"Not exactly; take a look …"

Curiosity gaining the better of her, she stood and walked the few steps to where her fiancé sat, onigiri still in hand. What did he mean by not exactly? Was it more of those stocks he had been teaching her about, or something to do with the tournament? It was none of those things.

Seto smiled as he heard the intake of breath; that had been his reaction too, if truth be told. The pictures had been an unexpected surprise around midday. The following phone call had resulted in the complicated question he'd been thinking about all night, but had also sported a rather proud-sounding Roland. Smiling as he saw her eyes fixed on the images, Seto spoke.

"She's called Miyuki; the kanji mean beautiful snow."

Kisara took a few more seconds of liberty, scrutinising the pictures before her; the tiny little bundle of pink with a head of the darkest hair, in the arms of one proud-looking father with light emerald-coloured eyes. The name seemed to suit the tiny baby girl perfectly as light snow began to fall outside the window once more. So that's why she hadn't seen Roland today.

"She's adorable …"

Seto nodded; Miyuki _was_ adorable, with dark eyes and raven hair. Why exactly Roland and Emiko had decided to ask him, he didn't know, but was undeniably flattered. After seeing the tiny infant, he was flattered that they would trust him so much. He hadn't been sure what to say when asked, so Roland had told him to think it over; did the man really know him that well? Think it over he had; again and again and again. That was the only thing that had occupied his mind since arriving at the mansion. Looking to the picture, Seto decided he had an answer for Roland.

"She's my goddaughter."

Kisara pulled her eyes away from the laptop screen as he said it; only to him looking right back at her.

"I need help buying some gifts, you busy tomorrow?"

The young woman smiled as brown strands fell back over his eyes. Her mind flashed back to the text message from Téa; she would text back and say she had plans, the brunette wouldn't mind.

"But what about work?"

"I'm taking tomorrow off-"

Anything else Seto had wished to say was cut off by an unsuccessfully stifled yawn. Looking back to the pictures on the laptop, Kisara smiled again; maybe the reporters would hold off tomorrow. She was sick of reading about herself in papers and magazines. Another yawn from Seto made her look back to him.

"Someone's pretty tired."

"We can't all fall asleep on the couch for a few hours."

Laughing as she danced out of his reach, the young woman blinked once or twice; had she just been tickled? Realising she had, Kisara started laughing, only being spurred on all the more by the confused look on Seto's face.

"What's so funny?"

"The CEO of KaibaCorp just tickled me …"

And there she was again; back into a fit of giggling. Smiling as he stood, Seto walked closer; he had surprised himself by how much he had missed her today. The strength of the feeling had shocked him, as had his longing to return to the mansion. Not bothering to hide his next yawn, Seto smiled as he saw the contagious effect pass on and Kisara let loose a yawn. Attempting to say something, the young company-owner was again cut off by another yawn, causing Kisara to laugh quietly. A light kiss on his cheek.

"Good night, Seto."

* * *

**A/n-**** Thanks a million for taking the time to read it guys! XxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

3rd Revision - 1/March/2011


	18. Quake

**Author's Note:** Yup; I actually have the cheek to re-appear almost a month after the last update. I am so sorry guys. School, coupled with homework and a family wedding kinda made it hard to get typing. I'm hoping the long length of this chapter will semi make it for you guys! (And girls!) I'm awfully sorry if this chapter is a little thin; I had to rely strongly on my geography class for the content. I know you're probably getting sick of me saying this, but I promise for much more development and explanations in the next one. And if there's anything you would like to see happening, then don't hesitate to tell me! XxxxxxxxxX

* * *

"_Now I know love isn't painless"_

* * *

Almost two weeks to go and the booster packs were flying off the shelves; this new tournament was really helping out the Muto's business. It wouldn't be long until the numerous high-profile duelists started arriving in the city. Téa smiled as she opened a new box of booster packs, with Joey already skimming his eyes over the shelves of new arrivals.

It almost felt like the old days of Duelist Kingdom or Battle City. Granted there were some memories of that time that ought to be left there, but there had been good times aswell. If not for all those dueling tournaments, then she never would have become friends with Mai or even the Ishtars in Egypt. The young woman decidedly overlooked a few of the acquaintances; sometimes things in the past were there for a reason. Weevil Underwood and Rex Raptor still dropped by the gameshop every once in a while, something which annoyed her to no end as it seemed the duo had never matured past their bigoted selves.

Speaking of bigoted, Schroeder had actually dropped by the shop yesterday, exchanging a few words with Yugi about the upcoming tournament; he was one man she couldn't stand. Téa Gardner had always thought of herself as a fair-minded and non-prejudiced person, but the dancer found that she still despised Zigfried Von Schroeder. The man using his little brother as a tool to try and take down KaibaCorp still stuck in her mind, and yet Leon had wholeheartedly forgiven his older sibling. Being an only child, the young woman struggled to see the youngster's logic.

"Téa, you got stood up for rich-boy … ouch."

Shaking her head, Téa smiled at Joey's words and lifted the box of booster packs up onto the front desk. Looking out the window of the small shop, she saw two familiar people walking past, though she still had to do a double-take every time Kaiba wore casual clothes; years of seeing him in suits and customary trench coats had convinced her that he possessed no other attire.

She had text Kisara last night, wondering if she had any plans for the following day. It had only been hours later that the reply had come through. An apologising message stating that Seto had asked her to go out on Domino with him, and then a question hoping to rearrange. Why Kisara had been apologising so much, Téa didn't know; if Mai or Serenity wanted to go shopping and Yugi proposed a trip out on the city, she knew which she'd choose and that her girlfriends wouldn't be angry in any way.

Watching as the two walked out of the limited view of the window, she smiled; maybe Kaiba had finally gotten his break after all. She'd seen him smile on a few rare occasions in the past, but those smiles had either been mocking or in the presence of his little brother … those smiles had been nothing like the one he'd just worn talking to Kisara outside the window.

Walking over to the closest shelf, Téa began to place the new booster packs on display; they'd probably be sold out by tomorrow evening. Growing tired of the quietness, the brunette looked over her shoulder to where Joey was idly sitting at the front desk.

"So, when are you going back to college?"

"Eh … after the New Year I think."

Joey shrugged as he answered; he really had no clue when he was back to class. It was sometime after the new tournament, of that much he was sure. Téa nodded her head as she started shelving the booster packs; it was still hard to believe her friends were in university now, especially Joey of all people. Duke was studying business and management; something that he figured would help in the running of his Dungeon Dice Monsters empire. Tristan was studying engineering at the moment, having been obsessed by machines since a young age and Joey … well; surprise of surprises, Joey Wheeler was currently studying to be a social worker. None of the gang had questioned him on the choice of career, but she guessed it had a lot to do with his parents' divorce and being separated from Serenity for so long. Yugi was still unsure of what career to pursue, but he was in no rush; the King of Games was quite financially secure with all the winnings he had accumulated from Duel Monsters tournaments.

As for herself, there was another showing of Swan Lake on the cards, with practice resuming next week. Due to the acclaim their troupe had earned last year, the ballet group had decided to run another line of performances, this time with proper funding and more experienced dancers. Smiling to herself, Téa felt pride swelling at the fact she would be reprising her role as Odette in the ballet; the lead once again.

It seemed weird to think they'd all grown so much in the last three years as to be pursuing future careers. To her, they were all still the teenagers they had been during the good old days of Duelist Kingdom and Battle City, even soon-to-be-wed Kaiba.

"Whoa …"

Téa dropped the booster packs as her balance was cast sideways for a second, the ground shifting beneath her feet. The shaking carried on for a few more seconds, with a couple of booster packs falling from the shelf.

"Téa, you okay?"

She nodded as Joey appeared alongside her, picking up the packs of cards. It had been months since Japan's last major earthquake and the news channels had been warning of stress levels increasing along the convergent Pacific and Eurasian plates. With the plate boundary extending through most of Japan, the whole country was affected by the quakes. Seismologists had been emitting alerts of a large quake expected either side of Christmas and Téa found herself hoping that the little shake wasn't a precursor.

* * *

There were noticeably fewer whispers today, especially when compared to the amount received on Saturday at the bentō competition. Domino remained a lot less crowded than before; most likely due to it being a workday. The throng of people that passed along either side of the couple were much too busy rushing for the sub or running for a pedestrian-crossing to ask any questions and shoot looks, something Kisara enjoyed.

The lack of reporters didn't go unnoticed by Seto either; Schroeder was holding a press conference today, promoting his business, meaning all journalists in the vicinity were occupied by the German. The people that passed didn't bother to look at them either; they had much more important things to do today than gawp.

This was the second shop they had been to since Kosuke had dropped them off in the city square. The first shop had only just been opening when they'd arrived, along with maybe one or two astonished looks from the girl serving behind the counter.

"Oh, how cute …"

Kisara spoke lowly as they entered the shop; just because they hadn't been approached by any reporters yet, didn't mean she wanted to attract them. To the right of the doors was a colourful display of tiny kimonos, with a number of young women browsing through the selection. A new-looking baby carriage accompanied each woman.

Frowning slightly, Kisara studied the brightly illustrated sign above the small kimonos; she could read the symbols, but the meaning of the new word eluded her limited knowledge of the Japanese language. Noticing this, Seto smiled and inclined his head towards the sign.

"Omi-yamairi is a newborn baby's first visit to a shrine. Takes place on the thirty-first day of a baby boy's life, and thirty-second of the girl's. To show it's a day of celebration, the baby is dressed in a ceremonial kimono."

There was another tidbit of Japanese culture she hadn't know about, and Kisara gladly committed it to memory as one of the young mothers glanced up at them, but her attention was soon claimed by a small cry from inside the baby carriage. Tearing her attention from the wide-eyed alert baby boy the woman had just lifted into her arms, Kisara blushed lightly as she looked up to Seto.

"You must get tired of explaining everything."

"Not to you."

The little baby was only about a month old, with an uncontrollable mess of black hair. The infant was totally dependant on the person holding him; to feed him, dress him, change his diaper and protect him in this big wide world. Despite that vast dependency, the little baby still managed an amused giggle as the white-haired woman directed her attention back to him, her cheeks a furious shade of red.

The strong blush only subsided as she felt the familiar weight on her right hip. Kisara liked to notice how accustomed she had become his arm around her waist. Thinking back to her first week or two in the mansion still made the young woman smile inwardly, especially that morning by the back door when they had managed to get in each other's way again and again.

"I wasn't expecting to see you here, Seto."

The familiar voice made him turn around, not anticipating the friendly greeting. Kisara blinked as she recognised the man standing in front of them; he'd been one of the few people Seto had had a lengthy conversation with at Schroeder's opening function; Toshi Fujiwara. She knew him as one of the many Japanese company-owners that had attended the bash, being the CEO of a successful pharmaceutical corporation and owning a few of KaibaCorp's shares.

"Toshi, nice to see you."

Kisara noticed that they didn't shake hands like business-associates but that a sincere and friendly smile lit up Seto's face as he spoke.

"And Ms. Ashbrook."

The abating colour returned to her cheeks in an instant as the man's kindly eyes turned to her. He smiled in a friendly fashion, nodding his head in her direction. Toshi's eyes reminded her of Kosuke's; caring and quiet. Another warm smile from Toshi, along with her blush fading little by little; the weight on her hip had just gotten a tiny bit heavier as Seto stood closer.

"Starting young, aren't we?"

The question, combined with raised eyebrows and a glance at the tiny kimonos made Seto laugh out loud; it was definitely a good thing that there were no journalists around to draw the same conclusion. Shaking his head with a smile, Seto tried to explain but the title still felt strangely new to him.

"I was made a godfather yesterday, you know Roland; his wife had a baby girl."

The two men continued talking, with conversation noticeably staying away from business as Toshi enquired about Miyuki. Kisara blinked as she spotted a little girl clutching to Toshi's left leg; ebony hair and the deepest brown eyes with her head only reaching up to the man's hip. The little girl seemed awfully timid, half-hiding behind her father's leg. Then again, she was hardly any better as she nestled closer to Seto.

Toshi Fujiwara smiled as he saw where Kisara's gaze had wandered and felt the grip on his trouser leg tighten; his little girl wasn't exactly the most outgoing of five-year-olds, more so in the last year. Placing a light hand on her shoulder, he spoke quietly.

"Say hello, Miki."

At the sound of the voice, Kisara blinked and smiled as the little one, Miki, retreated further out of view, shaking her head as she blushed brightly. She reminded her of a small girl from back in France; one of the maids had brought her little daughter to work once, and the child had been deceptively shy at first.

Smiling as she swept a few strands of hair behind her ear, Kisara crouched down low; she didn't mind little kids. She found children a lot easier to deal with than adults; with adults, you never knew what the other really thought of you but kids didn't seem to care. A child would come right out and bluntly tell you what they thought, a trait she found likeable.

"Hi there sweetheart …"

Seto blinked as his hand was left limp. He smiled lightly as little Miki peeked out from behind Toshi's leg; the little girl was very quiet for her age, understandably given all that had happened in her family structure.

Losing her balance slightly, Kisara smiled as she ended up sitting on the floor of the shop; a reaction mirrored by little Miki who gave a tentative giggle. The little girl smiled all the wider as this new woman remained on the floor, cheeks coloured with a light blush. The company-owners both bore light smiles as Miki waved lightly to Kisara; for Toshi, it was the first time his little girl had smiled, let alone to a stranger, in a long while. And Seto couldn't stop his smirk from surfacing as his mind flashed back to thoughts of yesterday morning in his office; he had been correct in presuming Kisara would be good with kids.

A shift of the ground beneath her made Kisara immediately glance up, with little Miki disappearing back behind her father's leg. Toshi acted quickly in lifting his daughter up onto his hip as the shaking continued. Seto stumbled slightly, but caught his balance. A rail of clothes crashing to the floor on her left-hand side made Kisara start back, feeling strong arms helping her to her feet.

Two more seconds and the balance-ruining shift had subsided, leaving clothes and hangers strewn all over the floor. The baby boy with dark hair and wide eyes was crying now.

"You okay?"

"I- I'm fine."

Kisara's eyebrows furrowed slightly as she nodded her head and answered. She hadn't faltered when talking to Seto for a long time now, but it wasn't any nervousness or self-consciousness that had just made her stutter; she had never seen that kind of genuine worry in his eyes before.

* * *

There hadn't been anymore tremors since the one in the shop, something the people of Domino didn't seem to notice; she doubted the city-goers had even spared the shaking a second thought. Being situated on the boundaries of four different tectonic plates, the people of Japan were well-used to such little tremors happening from time to time. She had never had to think about earthquakes in France; they'd been far away from the nearest plate boundaries and she couldn't recall any quakes ever hitting the vineyards. When faced with her uncle, only the searing Sirocco winds at the Italian branch dared to disturb the Ashbrook vines.

As they walked up the still-crowded street towards KaibaCorp, Kisara felt a strange pang of homesickness for France. Not once since arriving in Japan had the young woman wished to return home, and yet the quake-free status of France seemed terribly enticing right now.

"Go on, tell me."

"Hmm?"

Seto smiled as he saw the sheer confusion in her eyes; her thoughts had been miles away as they'd walked.

"What's bothering you?"

It was gone four o'clock in the evening at this stage and they'd just finished buying the last few gifts for Miyuki. She'd recommended giving Emiko a few days before visiting; the woman would need to rest after going through such a long labour and time to spend alone with her little daughter. A few students passed by now and then, the final bell having sounded minutes ago. The uniform was one she deftly recognised; the boys in blue trousers and blazers and the girls with pink and blue sailor fuku.

None of them seemed bothered by the tremor from earlier; all the teenagers were busy calling to each other or texting on their mobile phones. Knowing that the stress levels along the destructive margin of the Pacific and Eurasian plates had been escalating for months now, Kisara found herself slightly on edge; there was no way that the little shaking episode from earlier could release all of the pent-up energy. Such boundaries could exude energy equal to ten thousand atomic bombs.

She was probably just being a worrywart for no reason; strain and tilt-meters were great for indicating stress, but nothing could predict the exact time an earthquake would take place; that tremor could be the only tectonic activity for another six months. Blushing slightly as she realised her own silliness, Kisara shook her head; having a degree and knowing so much about geography wasn't always an asset.

"I'm just being foolish … the tremor had me a little worried, that's all."

Seto nodded his head as they walked towards the KaibaCorp building; he had a few small things to take care of up in his office and then maybe just a quiet night back in the mansion for once. A yawn from Kisara made him look down as they walked up the steps and into the bright lobby of his building. Maybe a detour downstairs first would be a better option.

As the door of the elevator closed, Kisara blinked; Seto had pressed one of the buttons close to the bottom of the panel. She was almost certain that his office was on the very top floor, though she hadn't been there yet. In contrast, they were currently descending towards the underground parking area for the limos. Frowning slightly, the young woman looked up questioningly.

"Seto?"

"You should go back to the mansion; you'll only be bored and odds are I'll be kept here longer than I want if the board of officials find out I'm in the building."

She laughed lightly, seeing the look of distaste on his face; he obviously didn't want the officials to find him. The doors opened as the lift chimed its arrival at the subterranean level.

"Are you sure?"

He nodded as he took the shopping bags from her hands and lowered them into the trunk of the closest limo, the hidden driver immediately starting up the vehicle's engine.

"I'll be a half-an-hour behind you at most."

Kisara nodded her head with a smile and reached for the handle of the limo's door, but stopped as she felt a familiar hand on the left side of her neck, and her toes responded by arching to their very tips. Her left hand abandoned the door's handle as she felt his lips again; the sensation becoming more and more familiar to her over the last couple of days. If there was one thing Zigfried should be thanked for, it was the after-effects of his opening bash.

"I won't be long."

Another kiss, this time lighter and lingering before Seto recalled his hand from its location framing her left cheek. Kisara nodded lightly as she got into the limo. Seeing the familiar kindly eyes staring back from the rear-view mirror, the young woman smiled.

"The mansion please, Kosuke."

"Right away Ms. Ashbrook."

Only as the driver-passenger partition slid silently into place did she let a strong blush claim her cheeks; had Kosuke seen them kiss from his driver's seat? And why was it, despite the cool temperature of the dim and echoing parking lot, that Kisara felt oddly flushed?

Watching as the limo drove out, Seto Kaiba shook his head and walked back to the still-open elevator. That kiss had been pure impulse as his mind had flickered back to the store that morning, when the clothes rail had toppled close to where she'd been. Why such a thing had made his heart skip a beat, he didn't know but something else had him strangely on edge about the whole tremor that morning.

The young CEO pressed the very top button on the panel, heading straight up to his own office; hopefully the board of officials would leave him be for one day, though he doubted it.

When the railing had fallen, why had his mind automatically jumped backwards? All the way to Egypt.

* * *

Evening had already settled as she sat down on the couch, with Kai clambering onto her lap and curling up, rather subdued. Kisara frowned; it was unusual for the little puppy to be so quiet. There was no chewing of shoes or hyper yapping from the small husky, just low whining as she lowered her ears.

Unknowing what to do, the young woman switched on the large television, flicking through the channels. Sports coverage managed to waste about twenty minutes, coupled with news that the Liverpool team was now down a player with an injury in training. The national news was something Kisara liked to watch; testing herself with the Japanese language, putting sounds to pictures in a bid to understand newer terms. A beep from her phone made the young woman tear her eyes from the large television screen; Kai was curled up in her lap sulking as she tried to fish the silver mobile from her jeans' pocket. The text was from Mokuba; he had mentioned the soccer match that morning.

"_Did they win?_"

Smiling, she typed out an answer and sent it, placing the phone into the easier-access pocket of her hoody. Kai whimpered again as her owner returned her attention to the television. Kisara blinked as the light fixture above began to sway from side to side slightly, setting her on edge.

The half-hour since getting into the limo had flown past and still no sign of him; with a smile, she guessed the board of officials had discovered Seto's presence in the building after all. The light fixture was swaying all the more as Kai's ears perked up. After a second or two the light hung completely still but Kai's ears flattened and she sunk lower and lower against Kisara's lap. The puppy let loose a low growl before yapping and whining again; the ice-blue eyes looked almost worried as the puppy glanced around.

"Kai …"

Kisara stopped short as the room around her seemed to shake violently, shouts emanating from the kitchen and upstairs as the maids were also caught off-guard. More shouts and screams as the shaking became much more violent. Grabbing Kai, Kisara did her best to make it across the living room, ending up on the floor a couple of times and banging into the wall rather hard every other time. Four years of studying earthquakes had drilled into her the safest ways to ride them out.

Crashing echoed from the kitchen where plates and glassware had fallen free of their cupboards, and yelled swearing as Akari very narrowly avoided a falling stack of bowls.

"Akari stand in a doorway!"

The young maid nodded her head as she looked up, shocked at the loudness of Kisara's shouting. Aki, who was currently trying to maintain her balance at the top of the stairs also heard the shout and headed for the nearest doorway, shouting down the hallway to the other maids; instructing them to do the same. Kai whimpered all the more as the violent shaking continued and her owner sank to the floor, body rooted between the solid framework of the living room's doorway. Akari followed suite as her legs were almost shaken from underneath her.

After what felt like an age, the ground beneath them stopped its upheaval and all fell silent, no one wishing to move in case an aftershock hit. It was only as Kai, now back to her normal self, scampered across the foyer to where her chew-toy lay that Akari smiled, leaning her head back against the doorframe.

"Everyone alive?"

Muffled responses from upstairs, along with some clear swearing, made Kisara laugh weakly, an act mirrored by the two maids currently descending the stairs. The following ten minutes raced past in a blur as most of the maids clocked off early to check on their families, not caring for any aftershocks that might occur on the way. Akari merely looked at the mess the kitchen had been transformed into and let loose a long groan, still seated on the floor in the doorway.

Kisara's head snapped around as she heard some terms on the news report; terms she deftly recognised. Extensive damage … emergency services … Domino city … epicentre … partial collapse.

Apparently Akari heard the words too, as she was right beside her at the couch and stared at the large television; thee DVDs beneath it had been shaken from their shelves but the television had somehow escaped harm.

There footage showed a building both young women recognised by heart. As the camera shook violently, it seemed KaibaCorp flaunted its supremacy by standing stock-still throughout. Seconds ticked by as the sky-scraper remained indifferent to the raging earthquake; the building next to it didn't seem so apathetic though.

In horrible slow-motion, the sky-scraper next to KaibaCorp seemed to wobble for a second before decisively pitching to the left of the screen and crashing into the gaming corporation. Screaming could be heard, along with commuters and city-dwellers running every which way. The sound of smashing glass clashed horribly with the screeching of metal framework.

After seconds more like hours, the dust cleared and the shaking of the camera ceased. Silence; complete and absolute. KaibaCorp remained standing, though it sported a large gaping hole on its left-hand side, stretching from the top to about halfway down, where the once-neighbouring scraper had pitched at another angle and fallen to the streets below. Despite the destruction, only one thought occurred to Kisara at that moment; Seto's office was on the top floor.

She was holding her breath without meaning to; she'd let him walk back into that building knowing full-well that a bigger earthquake could be on the cards. She waited a split-second, hoping the newscasters would announce some kind of word concerning him, but they merely advised all people to stay clear of the city as emergency crews set to work and not to stray outside as aftershocks could commence.

Another second and Kisara found herself sharing a worried look with Akari's deep-brown eyes, both of them speaking at the same time.

The young maid already had her mobile phone in her hand, typing out a number in lighting-speed. With a harsh jolt of helplessness, Kisara only now realised that her mobile's phonebook didn't hold Seto's number. She was engaged to him and it had never occurred to her ask for his mobile phone number. Retrospect was a marvellous thing.

"Isamu, are you-"

Akari cut herself short as she heard his voice answering in a rapid tone, remembering to breathe once more as relief took hold. The second-in-command of KaibaCorp's security team was not a young man to panic, but she could clearly hear that undertone in her boyfriend's voice as he relayed what had happened.

"And Mr. Kaiba?"

Kisara looked hopeful as she heard Akari asking the question, before nodding and hanging up. That slight hope seemed to fizzle away as the petite maid looked back to her, shaking her head.

"He hasn't seen anyone else from the KaibaCorp building yet; emergency services are still working on it, but they're trying to brace the building first, before any aftershocks hit us."

Kisara nodded her head; wise choice considering the magnitude of the earthquake; by her guess, it must have been at least a 4 on the Richter scale, if not stronger. The sound of her own ringtone made her jump, but she felt relief as Mokuba's name flashed on the small screen.

"Mokuba, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. We were hit hard, but the house is still standing … I think that's a victory in itself. What about you and Seto?"

"I'm fine … but Seto, h-he was in KaibaCorp."

The few seconds of silence on the other end of the line seemed harsh to her ears, and when the teenager did answer, his voice was even and betrayed nothing.

"Point taken, I'll ring you if I get any news from him. I'm gonna stay in the spare room here tonight; Bec's gramps won't let me risk going home with aftershocks on the way and the city's blocked off as it is."

"Just be careful, Mokuba."

A promise from the youngster that he would take care, along with a shout from Rebecca in the background before he hung up. How could she have been so thoughtless as to not even acquire the phone number of her fiancé? This was the man she would be marrying.

"He'll be fine, you know."

Uncertain blue eyes blinked as the young maid spoke, not believing her words at all. Trying to remember the name Akari had spoken on the phone, Kisara spoke.

"Aren't you worried about Isamu?"

"Of course I am, but worrying isn't going to keep him safe and it's not gonna do me any favours either. I have a bombsite of a kitchen to start cleaning anyways."

Kisara couldn't help but smile weakly at the other woman's words. She gave another few seconds staring at the television before following Akari to the kitchen and helping in the cleaning up of the shattered dishes and bowls, hoping time would pass by quicker. Looking at the mess, she wondered if the interior of the KaibaCorp building resembled it in any way. The other building had hit it from the top and down … Seto's office was at the top.

* * *

Six o'clock came and went with a few minor aftershocks, barely making the light fixtures sway, although one in particular had been strong enough to make the cupboard doors swing open once again. No crashing had ensued however as the dinnerware was already broken. The two young women had cleared up the kitchen to its spotless self, though absent of plates and bowls and cups.

Seven o'clock approached fast, with Akari insisting she stay until later, despite her shift ending over an hour ago. Shaking her head, Kisara dismissed the idea, not overly-used to such kind staff. Akari finally departed the mansion after another twenty minutes, with yet another offer to stay until a later time, and a promise to contact her with any news her boyfriend might have.

The hours that crept by seemed to last an eternity as the twenty-year-oldKisara remained in the living room, eyes riveted to the television in the hopes of catching some snippet of news. No phone calls from Mokuba put her more on edge as the night dragged on. The wounded form of KaibaCorp seemed more and more devastating as the news channels continued to show it; the earthquake had travelled along a fault line directly beneath the metropolis gaming city, making Domino its epicentre, and hitting it with its full force of 5.2 on the Richter scale.

The only thing her mind flashed back on were the countless case studies she had revised in university; earthquakes in Kashmir, Kobe and San Francisco. All of those examples had had devastating aftermaths.

The low rumble of an engine at about nine o'clock made Kisara rush to the window without even thinking. From that angle, she could barely see the large fountain out front, let alone what car had just pulled up. The sound of Kai yapping made her rush out into the foyer, where a familiar figure had just closed the door behind him.

"Seto!"

Seto Kaiba was rarely shocked by anything, but the non-existent time lapse between entering his home and feeling arms around his neck was one of those few things. He had to lean back against the door to catch his balance. With little all else to do, the young man wrapped his arms around her frame, hand resting on her hair as Kisara hugged him all the closer. He'd already called Mokuba and got read the riot act by his little brother. And then given his marching orders to go home by Rebecca in the background.

"I'm fine, Kisara … really."

It was only as she looked up that he could see the tears in her eyes, and the stray one or two making their way down her cheeks. Seeing those tears made him feel guilty; he hadn't meant to upset her, hell, he hadn't meant to get hurt in the first place. A bruise on her temple had him concerned, but Seto smiled lightly as he brushed away the tear halfway down her right cheek. The worry in Kisara's eyes gained new life as she saw the stitches above his left eye, almost hidden beneath his hair.

"You're hurt."

Seto shrugged as she brushed away his fringe, frowning at the five fresh stitches. He didn't even remember how he'd acquired the cut, but the doctor had told him it was pretty deep before applying the local anaesthetic and starting to stitch.

"It's nothing; probably leave a scar, but it could've been worse."

"I should've stayed at KaibaCorp!"

She was crying again, but Seto merely held her closer and smoothed her hair, resting his chin on her crown; he was used to Mokuba worrying about him, but Kisara's fretting was something new to the young man. The stupid, idiotic building next to them had seen it fit to jump sideways only seconds before the quake had ended; could it not have lasted just a second or two more?

He just counted his lucky stars that he'd been on a lower floor, in the conference room with the board of directors. Maybe them finding him hadn't been a bad thing after all; it had called him away from his office where the other scraper had hit. The conference room had been destroyed too, but at least they hadn't been out-rightly crushed; a fallen wall and shattered glass windows had been the extent of damage before the building pitched away from his. One of the directors was in a bad state, with what doctors had diagnosed as a broken hip. It had taken him and another an age to get the older man down to an awaiting ambulance and then, with blood running freely from the gash above his eye, he'd been bundled into another and carted away to the hospital.

"I saw Miyuki at the hospital; the maternity ward was on the same floor."

Seto smiled as he heard her laugh quietly, muffled as she stayed nestled close to his chest. He felt relieved that she had headed to the mansion and not stayed at KaibaCorp with him. The worry he'd felt this morning in the clothes store had continued eating away at him for the hours he'd been cooped up at the hospital. Whether it was instinct or not, _something_ had nagged at him to get her into the limo and away from the building before him.

Looking upwards, Kisara looked at the stitches again, but at least she finally knew he was safe. Blushing at the somewhat childish question, she asked it nonetheless. Such a query was usually posed between adolescents of Mokuba and Rebecca's ages and yet it still seemed so unbelievable to have to ask it when they were already engaged to be married.

"Seto ... can I have your phone number?"

Now that made him laugh openly; only as a doctor had been stitching him up had it occurred to the young CEO that his mobile phone lacked his fiancée's mobile number. Smiling, Seto nodded as he looked down, tilting his head lower and speaking in a whisper against her lips.

"Only if I can have yours."

* * *

**A/n-**** Please let me know what you though of it guys and, like I said above, if there's anything you would like to see happening, then by all means let me know. Thanks again for taking the time to read my fic guys! XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

3rd Revision - 2/March/2011


	19. Countdown

**Author's Note:** Hi again guys! Sorry for the wait but, between being sick and my birthday rolling around, my writing got rather neglected ... again. Anyways, here's the newest chapter and I really hope you all like it! XxxxxxxxxxxxX

I'd like to just say a big thank you to the reader "_**KaliAnn**_" whose input of some 'downtime' for Seto and Kisara inspired the latter parts of this chapter. I hope she likes it, and there will be more 'downtime' later huni; I promise! XxxxxxxxxxxxX

* * *

"_Love ain't the enemy / We can be lost then found"_

* * *

It was another one of those mornings. KaibaCorp officials were entering the mansion every five to ten minutes, with the maids struggling to keep up with the ringing of the doorbell. A yapping, over-excited Kai hardly helped matters as she chased the many new ankles, dragging out of a few trouser legs.

Architects were the main visitors this Friday morning, with at least four having arrived so far. Only three days after the earthquake and Domino had already picked itself up, with cleaning finished and repairs well under way. An investigation had already been carried out on the collapsed building, with engineers handing their conclusions to KaibaCorp officials today. The damaged KaibaCorp building was in the final stages of repair, with the replacement glass windows being fitted today and all employees returning to work on Monday.

Thankfully nobody had been killed in the quake; the collapsed building had been vacant for the last six months; the accountancy branch having been a victim of the current worldwide recession. There had been many casualties with a few serious injuries, but the majority had been broken bones, cuts and scrapes.

"No, he's busy all day I'm afraid. I can fit you in Monday morning and no sooner!"

Kisara blinked out of her reveries as she heard the short, terse voice speaking. She had met Rin Sado for the first time about an hour ago, Seto having told her of his secretary only yesterday. The meaning for her name, cold or severe, seemed frighteningly apt. Being of small stature with a full and almost-rounded figure, Rin had somewhat of a double personality; cold and cutting on the phone yet chipper and perky when chatting … such a diverse difference made Kisara slightly wary of the woman. As the phone was snapped shut, she felt pity for whoever had been on the other end of the line.

Snow still fell outside the kitchen window, a bit heavier than the previous falls. Staring out at the small birds flitting from tree to tree, Kisara's vision gradually unfocused as her mind drifted to other thoughts.

Domino city had been worst affected by the earthquake and news channels had been reassuring the public that all aftershocks had ceased for the moment, but she found herself hoping the colliding plates hadn't subducted beneath one another. In such a case, the heavier plate would sink beneath the lighter, possibly becoming trapped and eventually springing free. If subduction had taken place it could incur further quakes and possible volcanic activity. Shaking her head slightly, she admonished herself for worrying so much; the experts on the news channels knew much more than her meagre degree.

"You okay, darling?"

Turning around at the beaming voice, Kisara nodded with a slight blush colouring her cheeks. Rin tended to use 'darling' quite a lot in her speech; almost as much as Mai used 'hun' when talking. There was something intangible about the portly woman that made her feel intimidated, despite being almost a head taller than her.

"S-sorry … I was m-miles away."

The hazel eyes softened momentarily then resumed their concrete hardness as Rin answered her ringing mobile phone. The bark of an answer caused Kisara's eyebrows to raise in alarm, the young woman silently hoping she would never have to call Seto's secretary. As the low-sized Rin bustled out into the foyer, it was a few of the maids to enter next, arms laden with laundry as they headed for the utility room. It was the snippets of conversation she heard that made Kisara smile.

"Rin's here today?"

"Yeah; you didn't think all that barking was Kai, did you?"

"I like it when she comes; it means I'm finally taller than someone!"

Stifling a laugh at the last comment, courtesy of a petite Akari, Kisara headed for the foyer to locate Kai before the next businessman arrived. She doubted the tycoons appreciated the little husky pulling threads in their expensive trouser legs and sooner or later the puppy would end up getting stepped on. Scooping the furry trouble-maker up into her arms, Kisara headed for the living room, pausing as the door bell rang once again; only another two or three officials had yet to arrive before this morning's meeting got underway in in one of the mansion's four conference rooms.

Noting how busy the maids were and half-afraid to let Rin answer the door, Kisara lowered Kai to the carpeted ground of the living room and closed the door, confining the puppy there before she was hurt. She hoped it wasn't the officials she had greeted last week; they had been rather brash and not very patient.

When she did open the door, the young woman blinked at the familiar face standing there. The dark eyes were filled with a mixture of guilt and worry as the man spoke in a rushed voice.

"I'm not too late, am I?"

"N-no, Toshi. There's still a f-few left to arrive."

Little Miki was there, clutching once again to her father's trouser leg, peering out from behind his lean frame. She smiled fleetingly before darting back out of view.

"Thanks goodness; it's been a bit of a hectic morning-"

The tall father looked back down the stone steps as another car pulled up by the fountain, an elderly slight-of-build man climbing out. The greying gentleman took his time in ascending the steps; obviously well-past the prime of his days, but still smiling as he finally reached the top.

"Shake a tail feather Koji; let's get this meeting on the road before New Year!"

The older man, Koji, smiled brightly at Toshi's words; his grey eyes twinkling with vigour beneath the mar of old age.

"Now, now … the youth shouldn't be so boastful, Toshi. I have forgotten more than you will ever know."

That comment, though made by a quiet and wavering voice, made Kisara smile despite her blushing. Overlooking his crippled profile, she found his attitude almost enchanting. Mentally running through the list Seto had shown her last night, amidst another teaching session about the stocks of a company, she noted the percentage each man possessed of KaibaCorp's stakes. It had been a surprise to discover Toshi owned two percent of KaibaCorp's stakes with Koji possessing about half that. Though it didn't seem much at first glance, those percentages were considerably large compared to how much Seto now owned; over the last few years he had expanded from fifty-one percent to a definitive sixty-nine.

It was Toshi's voice to bring her back to the present, his daughter still hidden behind his frame.

"I'm dreadfully sorry, Ms. Ashbrook, but which way is the study again? I can't seem to get my head around this house at all. I don't know how you manage it."

"I'll s-show you the way … you get the h-hang of this place soon e-enough."

"I'll take your word for that, dear lady."

The elder man, Koji, bowed his head with a smile as she started to lead the way. Hadn't Mokuba said those exact words to her upon arriving at the mansion all those weeks ago? With a slight jolt of achievement, Kisara noted how she had become almost fluent in navigating throughout the labyrinth of a house. It was only a matter of minutes before the study door loomed up ahead of them; fourth door on the first floor, past the piano in the upper foyer.

"Starting little Miki in the business already, Toshi?"

It was Koji to break the silence, grey eyes alighting on Toshi's small daughter, still half-hidden behind his leg. A light hand tousled the girl's hair as her father smiled, shaking his head with a low laugh.

"No, the babysitter decided to cancel at the last minute; left us high and dry …"

As the small group stopped at the study door, Koji stepped forward, flashing a genial smile before knocking on the door ahead of Toshi.

"These young men are used to me being late by now."

The heavy dark-wood door opened without the slightest of creaks. Kisara shrank back with coloured cheeks as numerous stares turned towards them. A jeer or two emitted from the seated business men as Koji entered; Toshi was prevented from following by a tug on his trouser leg, his young daughter cautious of entering the large room.

"What's wrong?"

Kisara felt pity as she saw the slight embarrassment in Toshi's eyes; most of his colleagues were watching bemusedly as the man bent down to his child's level. Miki was looking into the study, her dark eyes almost scared. The room must have looked huge and frightening to her; Kisara knew it looked like that even to her own eyes.

With a slight blush, Kisara crouched down, much like she had in the clothes store, and looked to the little girl. Flashing a smile, she swept strands of white behind her ears and spoke lowly.

"Miki, how about I bring you downstairs and daddy can talk with all the men here, huh? I have a huge telly, and a cute little puppy called Kai."

That last bit of enticement seemed to make the decision for Miki, her eyes lighting up as she nodded her head enthusiastically; the prospect of a puppy seemed to clench the deal. As she smiled and stood up, Kisara caught the look of gratitude Toshi was sending her way as he also stood.

"You're a saviour …"

With those words the father disappeared into the proverbial dragon's den where the majority of KaibaCorp's most influential men sat, ready to converse for anything up to hours.

It was only as Miki ran across the downstairs foyer and into the living room, where an excited Kai ran circles around the little girl's ankles that Kisara felt her mobile vibrate in her pocket. It was the first time his name had flashed on the screen of her phone, the first time the acquisition of numbers had been put to use, but Kisara gladly pressed the 'read' option below Seto's name, opening the text message.

"_Thanks x_."

* * *

The list of numbers, the black printed digits stark against the white page, had meant nothing to her a week ago, but now the young woman could quickly scan down the text and comprehend the information behind it. Stakes, stocks and accountancy. The latter, she had a slight knowledge of without Seto's tutelage due her adolescent education; business studies for two years had come in handy.

Sitting cross-legged on the couch, Kisara took the red pen from her mouth and circled a quintet of numbers, linking them to another and balancing the total with a third set. The sheets of paper strewn on the sofa and floor below were mere samples of KaibaCorp's smallest accounts.

Toshi had wearily arrived at the living room door about an hour ago with Miki immediately running up to him and delivering a tirade of information concerning Kai and the day she'd had. The man had smiled and picked up his daughter, listening to her every word and reacting appropriately with nods and laughs. He had then thanked her yet again before heading out to an awaiting limousine. Kisara had simply waved away his gratefulness with a blush.

Miki was no problem to take care of, and the child had occupied otherwise boring hours. Instead, it had been hours filled with stories of school, questions about Kai and a mixture of children's programmes. Miki was quite hyperactive when not hiding behind her father's leg, Kisara had come to find, but Kai had done wonders in entertaining the little girl; the puppy deserved all the thanks from Toshi. She found that she quite liked Toshi and something told Kisara he was more a friend of Seto's than a business acquaintance. The two hadn't shaken hands at Zigfried's opening launch, nor at the clothes store and they hadn't spoken of business either.

Footsteps echoed across the foyer and the young woman looked up just in time to see another businessman led to the front door by a maid. The meeting had stretched all day long, with architects and other KaibaCorp workers arriving at intervals. Rin had been kept busy all day; directing the flow of strangers to and fro as she barked directions and orders at them. After seeing a few young interns jump at the portly woman's tone, Kisara felt relieved that she wasn't the only one intimidated by Rin.

"You were great with Miki."

Looking over the back of the sofa, Kisara smiled as she saw the prodigal owner of the voice. Blushing slightly, she shook her head as Seto walked closer; everyone was making such a big deal about it. All she had done was kept an eye on a little girl for a couple of hours, and yet the thanks kept coming from Toshi.

"She was no problem …"

It was already dark outside, her eyes flitting to the window before returning to the fragments of accounts in front of her. Night fell very early in this month, as winter was in full throw. Mokuba had returned from school about two hours ago, only to head back into the city a short while later, delightedly announcing that school had finished up for the holidays. He had also mentioned something about Rebecca and lights in the city.

The cushions of the couch shifted beneath her as a new weight rested on them. Cobalt eyes flickered amusedly over the sheets of numbers she was studying as he yawned. Frowning, Kisara circled one set of digits with a red pen, unable to balance the total; she couldn't fathom why they weren't adding up. There was no reason for the total amount to be incorrect by such an amount.

"It was a temporary transaction; if you substitute the amount with money from the side-account they should balance."

He was right; with an input from another sheet of digits, the numbers all suddenly made sense and balanced perfectly. Smiling happily, she abandoned the sheets, having been focusing on them since Miki's departure.

"Thanks, it was bugging me."

Raising an eyebrow, Kisara took note of Seto's clothes for the first time; casual jeans and a hoody. Thinking back to that morning, she recalled seeing him wearing the same clothes in the conference room; an oddity as he usually wore a suit or the white trench coat when dealing with KaibaCorp.

"My house, comfy clothes …"

The most random things could make her laugh, Seto found. He'd seen her eyeing his clothes and had given an explanation, only to receive a fit of giggles in response. After hours cooped up in the meeting, it was a relief to finally be in the large living room. At least that was what he attributed his feeling of relief to, but as he stretched out fully on the sofa, Seto accepted that the feeling was for something else; relief at finally seeing a certain someone.

"Seto …"

"Mmmm?"

"I'm not a pillow!"

The look of feigned seriousness on her face made him smile; the sparky, slyer side of her personality was creeping in again for another fleeting visit. Looking up at her from his vantage point, his head resting on her thigh, Seto let his attention linger over her darkened eyes, shadowed by her white fringe falling forward. She had slight dimples he noticed, as her serious façade became undermined by a growing smile. To think she had been meant to marry Schroeder at first …

Taken aback by the impulsive action, Kisara blinked with surprise but effortlessly softened into the kiss, a familiar heat rising into her cheeks, along with butterflies taking flight in her stomach. The movement of his lips, his hand lost amidst her draping hair and the unusual depth of the strong kiss made her frown slightly as they parted.

"Is everything okay?"

An amused smile was her answer with relaxed blue eyes staring up into her concerned ones.

"You shouldn't worry so much, everything's fine."

The strands of white were pushed aside as her eyes became even more concerned, feather-light fingers tracing over the five stitches above his left eye. They were almost healed now, and would definitely leave a faint scar when removed. Glancing up at the clock, Seto took note of the time and sat up.

"Come with me."

"Whe-"

Before she could finish the question, Kisara was pulled from the sofa and guided out into the foyer, where Seto continued towards the front door.

"Where are we going?"

"Just trust me."

Before she knew it, they were standing at the base of the stone steps leading to the front door, their breath freezing into a cloud of white mist as a sleek limo pulled up, the black car materialising out of the darkness. As she climbed into the back of the limo, Kisara looked to the rear-view mirror; the dark grey eyes weren't the kindly green she had become used to. She'd seen them before, on the day of Kai's arrival; he had been the chauffer to drive them back to the mansion.

"The city centre please, Hiroki."

"Right away, Mr. Kaiba."

Hiroki was a lot younger than Kosuke, Kisara noted as the driver-passenger separation slid upwards silently. As the limo pulled out of the Kaiba mansion's grounds, Kisara found herself to be nestling all the closer to Seto; unsure of where exactly they were headed, but not caring either.

The road into Domino was unusually deserted as they drew into the city, but the streets surrounding them were crowded with people darting to and fro from shop to shop; the new Christmas-low prices were awfully enticing to the consumers. Seeing the strangers walking past amidst clouds of frozen breath and a sparse scattering of snow evoked a festive feeling in the young French woman. Back in France, Christmas had been mostly overlooked by her guardians; there had always been much more important things to be focusing on than the imaginary Saint Nicholas.

As the limo stopped moving, Kisara blinked out of her reveries, smiling as she saw Seto to be glancing down at her, a hint of worry swimming in his eyes. A light kiss seemed to reassure him as they both climbed out of the limousine, almost being swallowed by the throng of city-goers.

"Why are we here?"

"Give it five minutes, and then you'll know."

She smiled again, playfully annoyed by the secrecy of this little trip. Looking around the large city square they were walking towards, Kisara spotted a few familiar faces scattered around; the assistant from the pet store of weeks ago, Natsumi, if she remembered correctly. A small boy was busy pulling the middle-aged woman over to a toy-filled shop front. A fleeting glance of Akari with a tall young man, oddly familiar, was followed by a friendly wave from Mai Valentine.

Someone in the hundreds of people in this square, instigated the countdown from ten, followed by the rest of the crowd. Everyone was now standing still, all directing their views at the large profiles of shops and skyscrapers as though expecting something. What exactly they were anticipating, Kisara had no clue.

Smiling as she felt his frame behind her and strong arms wrapping around her, Kisara leaned back and hugged his arms as Seto placed his chin on her crown. The countdown was coming into its final seconds, so she jumped on the bandwagon and glanced upwards just like the crowd around her.

"_Three_ … _two_ … _one_!"

As the last number echoed, the city square lit up, having a falling-domino-effect as shop buildings and skyscrapers nearby became illuminated by strings of decorative lights. On the walls were pinned red and green rope-light designs of holly and berries, Santa Claus and his reindeer were suspended stationary above the middle of a street ahead of them. Reds, golds, yellows and greens seemed to combine together in a kaleidoscopic view of Domino's city square.

"Wow …"

Kisara couldn't help but say the word as she took in the full extent of the Christmas lights; living in the countryside of France, she'd never seen such a fine display of festive bunting. Children of nine and ten years stood fixated by the glowing pictures above them, and the lit profiles of the towering skyscrapers bordering the square. Almost like one of those small children, Kisara Ashbrook stood and stared with a naivety predecessing her twenty years, something that didn't go unnoticed.

Smirking, Seto leaned down and spoke lowly as he placed a light kiss on her cheek.

"I'm glad you like it."

* * *

**A/n-**** I really hope you liked the chapter guys and don't be afraid to tell me what you think. Thanks again for taking the time to read it through guys! XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

2nd Revision - 2/March/2011


	20. Jinxes

**Author's Note:** Seven weeks is a long time, huh? I am so sorry to all my readers, but school got in the way (as always), and my laptop died. Just to sweeten the deal, I'll cite writer's block aswell. All I can really say is I'm sorry for making you wait so long, thanks for all the support and I really hope you like this new chapter! XxxxxxxxxxX

* * *

"_There's a first time for everything / It's definitely one of them nights"_

* * *

"So something _did_ happen last week, huh?"

The underlying smugness in Rebecca's voice made him pull his gaze from the festive lights above. A second or two was spent scanning around the crowded square before Mokuba found the target of his girlfriend's attention. With a slight smirk, the youngster shrugged.

"I never denied that anything happened."

Rebecca smiled as he said it, her blue eyes still studying the two people at the other end of the square. Compared to the young woman's first few days here, including the day she and Mokuba had concocted the Kai-adoption plan, Kisara seemed a different person, as did Mokuba's older brother.

Before Kisara's arrival in Japan, Seto Kaiba wouldn't have been glimpsed in this square unless it was to address a crowd of media about KaibaCorp business, but definitely not for something as mundane as Christmas lights. She also knew the CEO would never have been seen wearing the casual clothes he was right now. It had been quite a shock the first time she had witnessed the company-owner not wearing a suit or trademark trench coat; she and Mokuba had only just begun dating and were still in that awkward phase of caution when she'd visited the mansion, only to have Seto appear wearing a t-shirt and jeans.

Though the ensemble had thrown her at first, Rebecca had become used to seeing him in casual attire by now; it made him look like the twenty-one year-old he actually was, in her opinion.

"Knock-knock, anyone home?"

"Huh?"

The teenager blinked as she felt a tug on the end of her hair. She reclaimed her vision from where Seto had just leaned forward, kissing Kisara on the cheek. Eighteen months ago she had been unbearably intimidated by the older Kaiba, as would any girl her age, but she'd come to find that Seto was quite easy to get along with once you got to know him. Rebecca had even made use of him in helping her with some mathematics once or twice.

For someone so intelligent, Rebecca appeared completely clueless upon looking up at him, her eyes utterly confused. Mokuba smiled and took a breath to say something, but was cut off by another voice.

"Hi there, Mokuba."

The new confident voice seemed to slice neatly between the young couple as Rebecca let loose an already-annoyed sigh. Long blonde silver-grey high-bleached hair accompanied by a deep fake tan and boldly coloured clothes; the Ganguro gal was an all too familiar sight in Rebecca's opinion, but her boyfriend happily smiled and greeted the other girl.

"Hi Ayane."

Ayane Mitsuru: the girl Mokuba was partnered with in Biology class and the one who was friends with all the other pretty, make-up clad girls in their school, along with many of the boys aswell.

"Why don't you come along with us; school's out … gonna be a blast tonight."

Emphasizing her words, the chink of glass bottles emanated from the her trendy large handbag. Rolling her eyes, Rebecca had no doubt about the number of vodka bottles hidden in the bag's depths, but the younger teen directed her furious glare back to Ayane, who had just seen fit to send a wink at _her_ boyfriend.

"No thanks Ayane; I'll pass."

The Ganguro gal feigned a frown at Mokuba's answer, pouting slightly before relenting and walking back over to her group of friends, perfectly balanced in her platform shoes and smiling back through her heavy make-up and false eyelashes.

"Maybe next time, Mokuba … Hawkins."

The distasteful up and down glance she'd just received from Ayane made Rebecca turn on her heel, glaring up at Mokuba. His violet eyes seemed unknowing as to why she was so angry.

"What?"

Shaking her head and looking back up at the lights without really seeing them, the blonde fumed. He was good-looking, physically fit, intelligent and kind … but Mokuba Kaiba was clueless about girls, let alone the heavy flirting Ayane dumped on him almost daily. Feeling the familiar creeping sensation of inadequacy, Rebecca thought of all the girls in their school. She was friends with three or four girls, and some of Mokuba's many male friends, but the majority of females at school didn't talk to her; they merely sent her envious glares all day long. She knew a lot of them wondered why the younger Kaiba was with her …

Mokuba had it easy; he could make friends with little effort, a knack helped by his affinity with sports and understated intelligence in the classroom. She had found out the hard way, particularly in the last year, that most girls only became friendly with her in a bid to get closer to her boyfriend.

"Bec, the haircut really suits you."

In an instant her simmering anger dissipated; strong arms hugged her from behind and his low voice, accompanied by a kiss on her cheek made the youngster blush, a smile undermining her temper; she hadn't thought he'd noticed her new haircut.

* * *

The rhythm of a helicopter's blades was what made Kisara look around, vision finally leaving the bright Christmas lights. As though in sync, the many people in the crowd also looked towards the night sky as the noise grew louder. A large white helicopter spared no time in crossing the inky darkness of the sky at a noticeably low altitude.

Frowning slightly, she watched as many in square around them bowed slightly or clapped as the helicopter traversed the sky; even Seto tilted his head in a respectful bow before smirking at her obvious confusion.

"Look at the emblem."

She did just that, squinting to get a good look at the receding helicopter. A yellow seal appeared somewhat dull on an equally bland red background, an icon the young woman deftly recognised as related to the Chrysanthemum Throne of Japan.

"Emperor Akihito … in Domino?"

Stern looks were sent her way, with a few close pedestrians none too pleased by the French woman's lack of respect. Blushing, Kisara shrunk back, unsure of what exactly she'd done wrong; Japanese honorifics were much too complex for her liking.

"We never call him by his name; he's known as His Imperial Majesty."

Seto smiled as he explained about the country's reigning monarch; Kisara's blue eyes guiltily following the helicopter towards the city's limited view line; no doubt the Emperor was heading back to his residence in Tokyo. The political world had seemed much simpler in France; all she'd had to remember was President Sarkozy and that was it … Japan just became more and more complicated.

"I guess I still have a lot to learn about Japan."

"You're getting there."

Suddenly more aware of his arms around her, the young woman felt her stomach give a small unexpected flip as she felt the muscles in Seto's arms flex. Why was it that her cheeks allowed her to accept a kiss, but flared brightly to life at such a trivial movement? Or maybe it had been the thought that Seto had muscles beneath the sleeves of his hoody …

Looking for some way to dispel the blush now rising rapidly in her cheeks and the hoody-less image she'd just received, Kisara pulled her attention from the spot where the helicopter had been and scanned through the surrounding crowd again. That was another thing France lacked; the sheer crowds. The city of Domino seemed to boast the highest levels of human congestion she had ever seen.

Women click-clacked from one side of the square to another with more and more shopping bags weighing them down each time they crossed the wide area; with little under a week until Christmas day, shopping was in its full, panic-stricken rush and consumers were making the most of it. Christmas … the last Christmas present she had received from her uncle had been nine years ago, when she'd been only eleven years of age.

Looking around as people began to set up small trestle tables and stalls, Kisara frowned, unable to decipher the sign on one of the tables. Only half of the characters made sense to her, the others ringing faint bells but offering no explanations.

"Domino square market; they run it the same time every year, when the lights are switched on."

"Can we look around, please?"

Letting a slight smirk surface, Seto nodded his head. He had no intention of picking up any more KaibaCorp business tonight; one day-long meeting was enough to turn anyone off of paperwork. Walking towards the main lines of stalls, Seto let his smirk widen just a little; his ego had decided to inflate a degree when she'd said _we_. Time with Kisara versus time cooped up with paperwork … he knew which won hands down.

With snow beginning to fall heavier, the large square of Domino city was filled to its brim with civilians running this way and that, either to yet another shop or to a set-up trestle table. Above the noises of the crowd, and the clacks of stalls being assembled, numerous shouts could be heard baiting the festive throng of people.

"C'mon ladies and gentlemen; last market before Santa Claus arrives! Get your unique stocking-filler right here!"

"Jewellery for that special lady, keep her happy for Christmas!"

"Get your ekiben bentō right here; keep warm in the snow!"

It seemed as though the market vendors were in a contest against each other; a contest of who could attract the most buyers to their stall. It was only a matter of minutes before each and every stall and trestle table had been set-up. Almost instantly, a sizeable crowd materialised before each table to browse for last-minute gifts.

Jewellery, food, clothes toys and trinkets coated every table. Walking amongst the crowd, Kisara couldn't keep her attention from jumping left to right with a smile playing on her lips. She was like a magpie; eyeing everything that sparkled in the multi-coloured lights. Being jostled by a passer-by, she pulled all the closer to Seto, feeling another rare pang of longing for her home country; France had had markets similar to the buzzing one around her, only on a much smaller scale and with less-enthralling items for sale. She missed that smaller scale and the less-crowded streets … she also missed the small stone houses and the wide expanse of the vineyards.

Seeing Téa in the crowd and once again strikingly aware of the muscles in Seto's arm, Kisara felt the pang of homesickness fizzle out; France may boast many things she missed, but it didn't have the people she'd come to associate with laughing and a modicum of self-confidence.

"C'mon folks; have a look and have a nose!"

The loud voice seemed to garner a lot of attention, more so when the young woman responsible for the shout sat down by a cylinder of gas and set to work with a flame torch. Like moths to a deadly flame, the crowd gravitated towards the trestle table; all eyes on the mohawk-sporting artist at work.

Caught up in the throng of people, Seto found himself to be staring over the heads of the people around him, to where the woman, with her visual kei appearance, was working the flame around melting glass, using a metal rod to create different shapes in the molten liquid. Numerous dyes allowed red and green hues to enter the figurine.

Glass art; Kisara had seen this type of trade before, in the smaller markets back home, but she'd never seen such intricate little ornaments made in such a short span of time; the elaborately styled woman was almost finished her latest figure, adding small strokes here and there to the entertainment of the crowd. The crowd that was getting denser and denser as people pushed to get to the popular stall; shoves from right and left followed next, but Kisara kept her gaze trained on the newly-finished creation of the mohawk-woman. Sat on the table to cool, hidden behind the numerous other trinkets was a miniature crystal rose.

"Oww!"

An elbow to her back sent Kisara stumbling forward, into the arms of a stranger … at least she'd thought the man was a stranger. The pink suit may have been missing in action, but his clashing hair colour revealed the young man's identity in an instant.

"My, my abandoning decorum are we, Kisara? Throwing ourselves unto men."

Hearing the arrogance in his heavily-accented voice, Kisara couldn't keep the slight cringe from her face; he'd hadn't been as arrogant when they were younger. Having fallen more or less against his chest, Kisara had pushed herself away in a split-second with cheeks painfully ablaze.

"Of course she ain't; she pushed away, didn't she?"

The young woman blinked at the vaguely familiar voice, surprised to see a young man standing between herself and Zigfried. The dirty blond hair and abrasive slang-laden accent told her who this was; the irate duelist from the KaibaCorp building, Mai Valentine's boyfriend … Wheeler, hadn't that been the name Seto had called him? Not paying any attention, Kisara missed any words exchanged between the two, only looking back up as Zigfried stalked away, his aristocratic nose pointed high in the air. The Wheeler boy scratched the back of his head and looked down, a smile across his face.

"You okay? It kinda gets a bit jam-packed here when the market's on."

"I-I'm fine, thanks … for Zigfried."

"Tch! Pink-hair's had it comin' a long time!"

Smiling slightly at Wheeler's words, Kisara saw Téa walking towards her, a few familiar faces in tow; the black-haired young man with the die in his ear, Yugi Muto and Mai Valentine. A light hand on her shoulder, and a familiar towering figure behind her; without looking around, Kisara knew Seto was behind her and felt a rush of relief. A miniscule staring contest held for a few seconds, neither Seto nor the blond Wheeler willing to give up the strained moment until Mai leaned towards her boyfriend and elbowed him lightly.

Whatever awkwardness caused by the held glare was abruptly ended by the appearance of Rebecca and a mischievous grin on the girl's face. Living in the Kaiba mansion for about two months now, Kisara had learned just how plotting the couple of Mokuba and Rebecca could be, and the grin on the fifteen-year-old's face let nothing slip of her latest plan.

"C'mon you guys; hurry up and say _cheese_!"

* * *

"Why is it trouble follows wherever we go?"

Kisara laughed as she asked the question, stepping inside the foyer of the mansion. After the latest of Rebecca's plans had been fulfilled, the group had been quick in dissipating; a few fights had broken out amongst the crowd surrounding the market's stalls and someone had called the police. With that message sent around, many people had made quick exits of Domino's square. A simple, quiet walk around the city's more picturesque streets had filled the last hour or two.

Seto shrugged his answer, pushing the door closed behind him; between getting cornered by photographers when they had ventured out to the bentō competition and the earthquake of the last excursion, things did seem to tilt towards trouble.

"Guess we're just jinxes, huh?"

Kisara smiled and nodded her head, looking down at the photo in her hand; Rebecca's plan had been her best so far. One of the nearby stalls had been offering free photographs to advertise its shop and the teenager had taken advantage of such an offer. It was hard to believe the photographer had managed to fit everyone into the frame of the picture.

A glance up at the ornate clock on the foyer wall revealed the time of the night; it was late, but noise still emanated from the living room where the large television remained on. Sighing at his younger brother's habit of retiring to bed and leaving the TV switched on, Seto walked to the living room, finding the lights on and, the television flashing images of a familiar theme park.

"KaibaLand?"

Looking around to where Kisara had sat down on the sofa, the young CEO nodded his head; the commercials were part of the advertising campaign for the new tournament, due to start up in under two weeks. Sitting down in the spot he had vacated earlier in the evening, Seto watched the advert run through, a half-smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as Kisara nestled closer; was it wrong for his ego to jump just another little degree? With that little degree etching upwards a bit more as she began to fidget with the cord of his hoody.

"What about the function thing you were talking about?"

After a confused second or two, Seto realised what she was talking about; hadn't he asked her opinion on the way back from the bentō competition?

"Rin's organising everything with announcements on Monday."

He couldn't keep himself from laughing lightly at the look on Kisara's face; obviously his fiancée had become acquainted with his secretary. Rin wasn't as bad as she seemed; she knew her position in the company and took her job seriously. Along with Roland, he'd trust her the most.

"Who knows, we might get some more dancing practice …"

Feeling another flip of her stomach, Kisara glanced up to share a knowing look with Seto, a smile breaking through at the thought of their last bout of dancing practice.

"But without Téa's text."

As soon as she'd said it, the young woman averted her gaze straight back to the television as her cheeks burned. She'd never been good at flirting in her entire life; it had been Vivian to teach her the basics, but good old Viv wasn't exactly the most restrained woman in China, and flirtatious soon edged its was to easy, promiscuous and downright outrageous.

Seto shifted where he sat, a simple movement that sent another round of fluttering flips to her lower stomach. Her blush gained new life as she felt the muscles in his arms flex again. Why was she was only taking note of her fiancé's physique after almost two months of living in the same house? Then again, she'd only just thought to acquire his mobile number at the start of the week. Still playing with the drawstring of the hoody, Kisara reckoned she wasn't cut out for this whole relationship thing.

Another shift of seating, and another round of flips from her gymnastic stomach. Glancing at the radiators attached to the wall, she wondered if the central heating was switched on as her blush grew deeper still.

"You okay?"

A light squeeze, triggering another flip in her abdomen and a kiss on the forehead. There and then, Kisara knew exactly why she was only now taking note of Seto's physical build, and the temperature in the room; she was a young woman and he was a young man. With her blush reaching a high, Kisara leaned forward. Caught off-guard by the light kiss, Seto hesitated a second before mirroring her actions and leaning forward aswell.

Feeling his hand on the left side of her neck, Kisara leaned back slightly, stomach flipping again as Seto followed her; she'd had boyfriends before and knew exactly how this whole thing worked, but somehow it was different this time; the air around hotter, the kiss much more needy than the few they'd shared up until now. The television drowned away into an inaudible silence as the kiss continued, and Kisara found a pillow in the form of a cushion.

The other girls had been easy pick-ups, but there were no other girls in the world at this moment in time. There was only Kisara Ashbrook. Not Schroeder's and not some priest's either; his Kisara with her sly side and her love of soccer; all he needed to know, and yet still such a mystery to him.

A break for air, when all that could be heard were quick and shallow breaths before another kiss took its place.

With one hand semi-tangled in Seto's dark brown hair, Kisara ran her free hand up and down his arm, assuring herself of the muscles beneath the layers of clothes. With a thought somehow fizzling through to her disorientated mind, the young woman ran the same hand to the end of his hoody and slipped it beneath the garment and the underlying t-shirt. Running her fingers upwards, Kisara counted as the muscles tightened beneath her touch; two ... four ... six. Any other exploring was cut short by Seto's lips abandoning hers and taking up residence elsewhere.

From her jaw line to her neck, Kisara could feel the trail he blazed on her skin, lips remaining on her neck as a hand intertwined with hers and the other mirrored her exploring and dipped underneath her own interrupting hoody and shirt. Despite the temperature of the room, his hand was cool, sending a shiver up the length of her spine and another, stronger flip to her stomach. A slight nip at her neck made the young woman moan quietly, but evidently loud enough for Seto to hear as she felt him smirk against her neck.

The sound of a cupboard door banging in the kitchen seemed to send the temperature in the living room plummeting; Mokuba was in bed, the maids were long gone home and Kai was asleep in her basket in the foyer. Frozen in a still frame, both Seto and Kisara waited for another sound and were rewarded with the echo of a sleepy yawn from the kitchen and the clink of a spoon in a bowl.

Unable to stop herself from giggling, Kisara clamped her hand over her mouth; Mokuba had some of the oddest eating habits around. No doubt the teenager was sitting down to a bowl of ice-cream in the kitchen before heading into the living room for some more TV. Her muffled giggles were rewarded with a disbelieving smile from Seto, who was the first to realise the moment was well and truly gone all thanks to a bowl of ice-cream and stood from the sofa, pulling her up with him. Maybe they _were _jinxes after all …

Still giggling, Kisara looked up into the blue eyes of the man she was to marry and, for the first time ever, could actually picture him as a groom, sans the tousled hair though.

"Guess we'll have to wait for more dancing practice, huh?"

The half-smile, coupled with a raised eyebrow only made the young woman giggle all the more as she leaned up for a final kiss before sleep. In her bedroom. Alone.

"I guess so …"

* * *

**A/n-**** I really hoped you liked it. Thanks a million for taking the time to read through this new chapter and please let me know what you thought of it. Thanks again! XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**Note:** "_Ganguro_"= a fashion trend highly popular in Japan around the nineties, but still a strong subgroup. "_Emperor Akihito_"= the Emperor mentioned is the actual current Emperor of Japan. "_Ekiben bentō_" = a style of bentō usually found in train stations, but localised to the cuisine of the area. "_Visual kei_" = a flamboyant and elaborate style of expression in Japan and other cultures, usually associated with rock music.

3rd revision - 2/March/2011


	21. Introduction

**Author's Note:** Eight weeks is kinda a long time between updates, huh? I'm really sorry guys, but school once again took over and judging season started at the Genesis Awards. Anyways, I want to wish everyone a very-much belated happy new year! I hope you all had a nice Christmas and didn't drink too much! I hope the long length of this chapter and the promised faster upload of the next will make up for the wait! XxxxxxxxxxX

* * *

"_Just wanna be happy, ya"_

* * *

Yet another photograph to add to her collection, and her favourite by far. Kisara smiled as she held the latest picture in her hand, scanning over it for the umpteenth time. Mokuba and Rebecca had orchestrated quite the shot; Yugi and Téa smiled at one side of the frame, balanced out by Joey and Mai on the other side. The black-haired dice-boy and his brown-haired counterpart stood close by, with Rebecca and Mokuba occupying the centre of the shot. Akari and Isamu were placed haphazardly to the left, having been literally grabbed and thrown into the shot by an excited Rebecca. But Kisara's eyes automatically trained themselves onto one couple in the myriad; just off-centre and a little to the right, she stood with Seto behind her.

Still smiling lightly, Kisara made a mental note to ask about the names of the dice guy and the other young man; she felt guilty not being able to put names to their familiar faces. The more she glanced at the new picture, the more she found herself liking it; the dark evening, the snow falling, the bustling market around them and Seto's chin atop her head.

Putting the photo down on her bed, Kisara swept her long hair up into a loose ponytail and stood, wandering over to her walk-in wardrobe. The initial shock inspired by the cavernous wardrobe had soon subsided and gradual appreciation for the many shelves and railings had taken its place. One day she'd find the will to count all the dresses around her, but for now Kisara was quite happy to peruse through the gowns and take stock of the different styles and colours. She fleetingly wondered which of the elegant dresses would be the one to wear to the approaching function.

Four days until Christmas and less than two weeks to the new dueling tournament. To add to the hectic schedule, Rin was announcing the date for the opening function on Monday. Kisara smiled as she thought of the upcoming launch to the new tournament; she didn't feel nervous at all. Zigfried's opening celebration had filled her stomach with dread, but seeing as KaibaCorp was hosting this soirée, she didn't mind at all. If truth be told, Kisara found herself looking forward to the elaborate event, despite knowing how much attention it would draw; KaibaCorp was the biggest gaming corporation in the world and would undoubtedly garner more press than SchroederCorp. The young woman found solace in knowing that she wouldn't be submerged in a world of corporate moguls for the night; Téa, Rebecca and Mai would be there, and Vivian of course.

She hadn't seen Vivian Wong in almost three years, something Kisara felt immensely guilty about. It wouldn't have taken much effort to pick up her phone and send a text or even an e-mail to her old friend; MSN and Skype offered communication all over the world, and yet Kisara found herself remaining the obedient little girl she had always been, letting days and weeks stretch into months, until those months had spanned almost three years.

Dwelling on the thought of Vivian for a few more seconds, Kisara dipped her hand into her pockets, searching for her mobile phone; the background wallpaper was a picture of her and Vivian on the Great Wall. Coming up empty-handed, the young woman abandoned the indifferent dresses and returned to her bed, where the small box remained open. Rooting through the photos strewn across the duvet, Kisara sifted through the pictures in her small treasure trove, pushing aside images of a stranger, two little girls playing amongst grapevines and one of her aunt smiling; a rarity no longer seen.

Although plenty more memories presented themselves in starkness, the photograph of herself and Vivian on China's Great Wall wasn't amongst them; she must have left it behind in France. Somewhat saddened at her forgetfulness, Kisara stood and headed out into the upstairs foyer, intent on retracing her steps and finding that elusive mobile. Standing still in the foyer, the young woman thought back; she had gone for a walk that morning with Kai, getting caught in a heavy fall of snow on the way back, then she'd had a shower and played the piano for a little while. Kisara couldn't remember seeing the phone in her en-suite, so that meant it had to be by the piano; if she had dropped it outside then it was long-dead. Looking out one of the large, floor-to-ceiling windows, she sighed; snow was still falling heavily and it would surely see fit to water-damaging her mobile if she had dropped it.

After a few minutes of searching and unable to locate the silver phone anywhere in the vicinity of the piano, she sat down on the leather-padded stool and folded her arms across her chest. If anyone saw her, they'd think the behaviour more suited to a sulking child, not an adult. She was annoyed with herself; as childish as it sounded, she'd become attached to the small device. It had been the only thing to keep her company during the long trip from France to Japan, and she had thanked it by letting it drown outside. The cost of a new phone was insignificant, and Domino certainly boasted the most technologically advanced devices around, but all that was besides the point; she wanted her phone.

Giving the ivory keys a hard glare, she traced her fingers along their smooth surfaces, mind enticing her to press down and give the notes a sound. She had only played the instrument for a few minutes earlier, exercising her numb fingers after the walk outside and then headed for a hot shower. Her uncle had always told her to practice for at least half-an-hour every day to keep what skill she had sharp. He had once told her that she was an exceptional pianist for her age, but that had been when she was eleven and then Christmas and New Year had rolled around and he hadn't complimented her since.

Recalling her fingers from the keys, Kisara stood and walked away from the piano, determined not to practice again today, or tomorrow for that matter. The young woman smiled as she walked, feeling as though she'd just claimed the tiniest of victories.

* * *

Suppressing a yawn, Seto scanned down the computer screen in front of him; he'd been cooped up in this study for the last three hours, trying to tie up any loose ends before KaibaCorp reopened at the start of the week. He didn't need any problems arising throughout the day; he already had enough on his plate as it was. Not only did the final touches have to be completed in the advertising campaign, but he had to go and get the stitches above his eye removed at the hospital, something the young man wasn't exactly looking forward to.

Monday was set to be a busy day, even by his standards. Not only was the HQ opening its doors again after the earthquake, but Rin would be holding a press conference at midday, addressing any questions about the new tournament and also announcing the date and specifics of the function. This function was set to dwarf Schroeder's by a mile. True, there mightn't be as many guests invited, but with names of such high calibre as Pegasus, it was quality that mattered. Rin had already been on the phone, running final figures and plans by him; trust that woman to go overboard where journalists were involved. Absentmindedly typing out an update for the KaibaCorp home website, Seto figured he should give Kisara a heads-up about the paparazzi at the upcoming function, and not throw her in at the deep end.

Of course, at the thought of Kisara his mind automatically switched from work to play of sorts. There was a new rule in the mansion from now on; no bowls of ice-cream past midnight, definitely.

A scraping noise on the wooden floor made Seto snap his thoughts back to the present. Looking up from his laptop screen, the young CEO smirked as he spotted the culprit; Kai was finding it hard to gain footing on the wooden floor, with her claws causing the scraping noise. The little husky really had grown in the weeks since her adoption, but he still hadn't quite forgiven her for the pee incident in the foyer.

"What's up with you, huh?"

Finally half-skidding her way over to his feet, Kai amused herself by pulling out of the leg of his jeans. Studying the restless puppy for a second, the Seto note of the clothes he was wearing; casual again. Since when had he worn casual clothes so often? Normally it was either a suit or a trench coat to be pulled from the wardrobe, but he found himself more and more inclined towards the comfy attire of his age-group these days. He smiled as Kai growled lowly, frustrated by the resilience of his jeans; she was probably hungry. Now that he thought about it, he was hungry too.

"C'mon Kai."

Seto stood from his desk and clicked his tongue, with the puppy perking her ears and following as he walked to the door. At least the mansion wasn't plagued by any company officials or last-minute meetings today; come Monday and all hell would break loose in the corporate world. As much as he appreciated the publicity KaibaCorp would get because of the upcoming function and tournament, the downside was the media interest. There was no doubt that Rin would have a few unsavoury words for unsuspecting journalists; she'd already scared off two magazine editors and a newspaper reporter; who needed a publicist or guard dog when Rin Sado was around?

Snow was still falling lightly outside; a weather trend that didn't seem to be fading at all. At this rate, all of Japan would be having a white Christmas. Christmas … that was yet another thing to add to his schedule.

Descending the stairs of the main foyer, Seto could hear noise coming from the living room; the volume was too low for Mokuba to be the culprit, but the young CEO was prevented from investigating by an impatient Kai yapping at him; she was hungry and wanted her food now. Walking towards the kitchen, Seto acknowledged that he had definitely changed in the last three years; there was no way he would have let a Siberian husky dictate his movements in the past. Blinking back to the present, he caught the kitchen's swinging door as it was pushed out to meet him, along with a recognisably short maid.

"Sorry, Mr. Kaiba!"

Akari seemed to teeter off-balance for a second or two as she avoided a collision with her employer. In a flash, the petite maid had regained her footing and was half-way up the stairs, arms laden with a trailing set of curtains. Seto frowned as he watched her walking away, always with her slight limp. Akari had been working for them for two years now and, although she was an excellent maid, it was a pity. The pintsize had been a promising gymnast, set to go all the way to the Olympics, but an accident had left her with a broken hip and months of rehab, culminating in an ever-present limp and her career as a maid.

Continuing on into the kitchen, the young man took note of his younger brother sitting at the table with a bundle of homework and a newspaper in front of him. Looking up as Kai scampered across the tiled floor, Mokuba attempted to close the paper and fold it away; nothing new to shout about today. In fact, he might aswell bin the article now … only Seto was looking at him rather suspiciously. Walking around the table, the older Kaiba brother pinned his sibling with an interrogating glare; if Mokuba was trying to hide something from him, it was definitely something bad.

"What's that?"

"What's what?"

Mokuba could hear the wavering in his voice as he replied, more so under his big brother's narrowed eyes, but really; the newspaper was nothing to worry about in his opinion … whether his was the right opinion or not was yet to be debated.

"The paper, what's the deal?"

"Oh, just some more banks that need guaranteeing, oh, and some high-profile golfer guy was cheating on his wife; he made it all the way to eighteen other girls, ironic, huh?"

Mokuba knew he was a bad liar, a very bad one and Seto wasn't buying his excuses either. His brother had absolutely no interest in the love life of some golfer. Sure, those news items might be _in_ the paper, but they weren't the topic splayed across the front page this morning, no the topic of the _Domino Express_ was a lot closer to home this time. Thankfully, the kitchen door opened again and Kisara walked in, shifting attention away from the paper for a few seconds.

Unfortunately, she only seemed to garner attention from Kai, who was quick in sprinting to the young woman's ankles, yapping excitedly. By the time Mokuba realised what was happening and attempted to dodge out of the way, Seto had managed to acquire the newspaper and laid it out on the table, curious about what his little brother had been hiding. Maybe it was better if he found out sooner, rather than later …

Mokuba lowered his head back down to the math homework he had been ploughing through earlier, unsure of how Seto would react to the picture on the front page. The teenager needn't have worried about his brother's reaction; it wasn't Seto to see the picture first, it was Kisara.

"Oh no, that's not … it wasn't …"

The young French woman trailed off, her hand raising to her mouth as her eyes remained fixed on the newspaper. Consuming the front page of the paper was a large image, depicting the moment she had lost her balance and fell against Zigfried at the market. It had been a simple jostle in a crowd, causing her to lose her balance and stumble into the nearest person, but the angle of the shot had made it out to be so much more, along with the large caption above the picture.

"_Wandering Eyes_?"

The following text didn't help matters as Kisara scanned her eyes down the columns; the journalist had fabricated an almost believable story of how the new-coming French woman had become frustrated in her arranged-marriage and was growing close to Zigfried Von Schroeder, the CEO of KaibaCorp's rival company, SchroederCorp. It all sounded so true, with the only problem being that she knew it wasn't.

"It's okay; we'll sue them … I mean, that's gotta be taken out of context and slander at the very least, right Seto?"

Mokuba looked to his older brother hopefully; Seto would have a better clue about the laws concerning the press than he would. The elder Kaiba was standing just behind the stunned Kisara, his eyes slowly scanning down through the columns of text, just as hers had. If he was thinking anything, Seto didn't let it slip; he merely pulled his mobile phone from his jeans pocket and typed out a text, sending it without a word.

It was only as Kisara turned to look up at him with worried eyes that he smiled slightly; they'd had problems like this before. Sometimes the press took it just a little too far in a bid to sell copies, but his board of attorneys would set them straight again within the hour.

"Don't worry, it'll be sorted before this evening."

She still didn't look all that sure, and Seto felt sympathy for Kisara; he was used to these fabricated articles cropping up now and again. Last year, he was apparently seriously injured in a car accident; completely untrue, but he had received a mountain of well-wishing letters from duelists and fangirls. A few months before that it had been reported that he and Yugi Muto were in a relationship ... that particular article still freaked him out a little. Téa Gardner hadn't been all that happy with the story and had been quick in getting the journalist fired with some help from his legal team.

"I promise I'll sort it out."

Mokuba directed his attention back down to his algebraic equation as Seto kissed Kisara on the forehead; two minuses made a plus if he remembered correctly.

* * *

Téa sighed as she hoisted yet another heavy box up onto the counter; the common cards were sold out yet again. This new tournament of Kaiba's was doing great business for the Muto's gameshop. Using a pen to split the sellotape sealing the box, she cast a glance to the far right corner of the small shop, where Rex Raptor and Weevil Underwood were talking conspiratorially amongst themselves. The last thing she needed was those two whispering plans to one another, having already been placed in a foul humour by the morning's newspaper. Looking back down at the clueless pair, Téa felt guilty; maybe she was just being biased and they weren't conspiring, but the two were definitely up to no good; they wouldn't know good if it turned around and bit them in the -

"Everything okay?"

Another box, heavier than the last was laid down on the front desk as a larger, male hand picked up the pen she'd just discarded. Shoving her bad mood to the back of her mind, Téa smiled and shrugged her shoulders. Yugi always had a way of lightening her mood, maybe it had something to do with the fact that he was not only her boyfriend, but her best friend too.

"Still mad, huh?"

She nodded her head as an answer, focusing all her attention on the open box in front of her; magic and trap cards stared back up at the young woman. Téa smiled as she felt a familiar form behind her, leaning back as Yugi hugged her. He really had grown up from that short boy she had been childhood friends with; the young man now stood two or three inches taller than her own frame.

"You know Kaiba's gonna fix everything …"

She nodded her head again, but it just seemed unfair that every small thing that happened around Kisara had to be run through the rumour mill and extended into a soap opera. If only that stupid journalist knew what the young Ashbrook was really like, she would have never published her article. Kisara wasn't one of the party-loving, trouble-makers that plagued the headlines every other weekend; she wasn't anything like those girls, and yet the prying papers just couldn't leave her be.

Leaving out another deep sigh in a bid to calm her tempter, Téa felt Yugi's arms tighten around her just a little bit. Had it really been almost two years already? It seemed only yesterday that Joey and Tristan had run off and left her alone with Yugi in KaibaLand; what had first been awkwardness had soon subsided into playful laughing and joking, somehow lengthening into two years of being a couple. She'd been lucky in her love-life, and Téa found herself hoping the same would be true for Kisara.

"So, what would you like for Christmas?"

The young dancer blinked; she'd forgotten all about Christmas being so close, what with the hectic rehearsals for Swan Lake in full swing. Oh, an improvised shopping trip with Mai, Serenity and Rebecca was definitely in order. Shrugging her shoulders as a coy answer, Téa turned to look up at Yugi; what was she supposed to get the King of Games? She envied her friends; Joey would be an easy buy, and Mokuba would probably be satisfied with another of those soccer jerseys. That said, she didn't envy Kisara at all; what was one supposed to buy Seto Kaiba as a Christmas gift? The man had everything.

Although quite comfortable in Yugi's embrace, Téa couldn't keep her eyes from wandering over to where the defunct duo were still talking amongst themselves, and then back to the front desk where that morning's guilty newspaper sat. Although the front page was taken up by an ill-timed picture of Kisara falling against Schroeder, there was a small column spared at the side. The small, almost unnoticed group of text was dedicated to the Domino Museum and its Ancient Egyptian section, which would host an archaic stone stela for the second time. The ancient pictorial account told of the battle between Pharaoh Atem of the last Dynasty and his faithful servant, High Priest Seth, who would ascend to the throne after Atem's demise.

The story seemed so regal when read from the paper, nothing like what had actually happened those millennia ago; no mention of Zorc, of Bakura, Mana, Bobassa or even of the murderer Aknadin. She sometimes wondered if they'd really been there and watched it all happen, or if it had all been nothing more than a dream, but then she'd see Yugi or one of the guys staring into space and that uncertainty would disappear; they remembered too.

"Do you think Kisara remembers?"

That question caught her off-guard and Téa blinked her way back into the present, where Yugi was also reading the small column of text and studying the photo of the stela with a recalling eye. She had told Joey that Kisara had no memories and that she was sure of it, and yet … she had never actually asked the European of her past or dropped any hints about Egypt. Recalling the image of the girl being stoned and shunned, Téa shook her head.

"I hope she doesn't."

* * *

More snow … did the clouds ever empty? She sighed stared out the window. Waiting out in the corridor, Kisara nestled all the closer to the radiator and looked down the five stories to Domino below. She'd never been in a hospital this big before; her aunt and uncle usually called their personal physician, Dr. Laroche, when medical attention was needed, and the nearest medical clinic had been miniscule. Everything in Domino seemed to be bigger; the buildings, crowds and amount of attention she received.

Holding her phone in her hand, Kisara looked to the screen with a small smile as her younger self and Vivian beamed back. Thankfully her mobile hadn't been lost out in the snow; it had been lost between the cushions of the couch last night, being found by Seto after she had gone to bed. And being returned by him as they had hitched a limo into the city.

The roads far below were covered in white, with the stream of traffic slowing to a cumbersome crawl. Domino seemed to function in slow motion as the snow fell all the heavier. A few car horns sounded from the streets as one or two of the vehicles skidded. Leaning her forehead against the cool glass of the window, Kisara silently dreaded the drive back to the mansion. The road leading to the Kaiba home was a secondary road, with very little traffic, which meant the government wouldn't grit or salt it.

Looking up as she heard footsteps, she quickly averted her eyes back to the window, cheeks aflame. The nurse responsible for the footsteps passed by in a matter of seconds, but Kisara could feel the cold look directed towards her. It seemed as though the _Domino Express _was a favourite morning read and she had become public enemy number one. The short distance from the limo to the hospital had been plagued by down-the-nose glances, with some curious journalists deciding to get a look-in as they recognized the "KC" logo on the limo's door. Before leaving the sanctity of the sleek car, Kosuke had sent her a kind smile via the rear-view mirror; if he had read the paper that morning, then he wasn't letting on.

All she had done was tripped and lost her balance, if she had fallen against anyone else, then nothing would have been said. But Zigfried just _had_ to be there, didn't he? Letting loose an angry sigh, Kisara leaned her forehead back against the window pane and let her gaze un-focus in the falling snowflakes. Loosening the scarf around her neck, she blushed a little; just as she'd walked out of the kitchen with Seto earlier, Mokuba had made a suggestion of wearing a scarf due to the cold weather. It was only as she'd passed a mirror that Kisara had discovered the true reason for the teenager's suggestion; a faint bruise was visible on the right side of her neck. With a rampant tale of her wandering eyes, she doubted the papers needed a picture of a lovebite, no matter how faint it might be …

Almost three months ago her uncle had told her she was to marry Seto Kaiba, if not, then to Zigfried Von Schroeder her hand would go, along with KaibaCorp and the Ashbrook Estates. Thinking back, Kisara had accepted the news with ease; she had always thought her choice of husband would be influenced by her guardians. Such things were common in the corporate world, bringing different businesses together, along with their expansive finances. Though she was accepting, the young woman had secretly hoped the then-stranger of far away Japan would decline and contest his father's will. Those months ago, the eldest Kaiba had come across as stoic, serious and cold, particularly his eyes.

On the other hand, her family had always been closely associated with the German Schroeders and she had known Zigfried since childhood, visiting their castle in Germany and sometimes hosting the family in the Ashbrook chateau. To her prejudiced mind, married life had seemed much more likely with the German she had known for years than with the seemingly-emotionless Seto Kaiba. How wrong she had been, judging a book by its cover.

When faced with Zigfried Von Schroeder, what you saw was what you got; a flamboyant, arrogant so-and-so who wished to gain the upper hand with those around him, whether those people were colleagues or family. From what Téa had told her, the egotistical man had even used Leon to infect KaibaCorp's files with some kind of virus a few years ago. He had changed a lot since they were children.

Then one flipped the coin to Seto, who hid everything behind his CEO status. The papers and media were being unknowingly manipulated by the Kaiba, only seeing what he wanted them to, with everything else kept in an airtight bubble of privacy. To the eyes of the world, he was the cold young man who rose to fame as the owner of the world's largest gaming corporation. Thinking of the façade, Kisara smiled lightly. It was ironic how the media depicted Seto as a Japanese version of Zigfried; they knew nothing about him.

Truthfully, Seto was anathema to the other CEO; a polar opposite. He was kind in her opinion, and caring too, but only to those close to him … something she now dared to consider herself. Hadn't Kosuke told her she merely needed to get to know him all those weeks ago? Although she had only known him for just over two months, Kisara knew Seto would never use Mokuba in the way Zigfried had utilised Leon; the two Kaibas were very close, even for brothers. Where colleagues were concerned, Seto won again - he treated fellow business people with respect and helped out where he could, as seen with Toshi and little Miki.

They were two complete opposites - Seto and Zigfried - same profession, same aspirations, same wealth and social status … but two adverse sides of a coin. Looking down to the fourth finger of her left hand, Kisara idly fidgeted with her engagement ring. It truly was a magnificent piece of jewellery; expensive and luxuriously cut but not too large to boast. If it had been from Zigfried, there was no doubt the gem would have been twice the size with superfluous decoration. Still fidgeting with the ring, Kisara let her thoughts wander; what if Seto _had_ declined and contested the will? She'd be sitting in a dank and cold stone castle deep in Germany's countryside, probably thinking herself better off. The engagement band would be from Zigfried and she'd become Kisara Von Schroeder.

At that thought, a horrible shiver ran up and down the length of the young woman's spine. It was like the discord heard when she played two clashing notes on the piano; the two names just didn't sound right together.

"You okay?"

Hearing the voice, Kisara tore her eyes away from the indifferent engagement ring, smiling and nodding. Looking up at the young man she called her fiancé, she remained secretly grateful to the foreign figure of Gozaburo Kaiba for his manipulating. Her blue eyes automatically locked onto the cut above his left eye; the injury was healed now and the doctor had just removed the five stitches. A faint scar was visible beneath Seto's fringe; an adamant reminder of the earthquake. Blinking, the young woman smiled contently.

"I'm fine."

A few seconds of silence before Seto flashed his familiar smirk and raised an eyebrow. Not even bothering to question his motives, Kisara let herself be pulled from the chair and led away from the warm radiator.

Down one long corridor, cut across a waiting room and down two more corridors; wherever they were headed, Seto knew the way by heart. No more derogatory glances were sent her way; everyone on this new ward seemed much too busy with crying infants. It was as Seto knocked quietly on a door that Kisara realised what ward they were on; the maternity ward. She might be okay with kids as old as Miki, but newborns were another daunting world altogether …

"I want you to meet someone."

Before she could protest, Seto had knocked on a door and Kisara found herself looking at a familiar face, green eyes free of his usual dark shades.

"Mr. Kaiba, Ms. Ashbrook."

Smiling brightly, Kisara returned the friendly greeting; Isamu was a more than adequate replacement, but she missed Roland around the mansion. Despite never saying more than what was needed, the man's presence put her straight at ease.

"Hi there, you must be Seto's fiancée."

Only now taking notice of the middle-aged woman folding a few pink romper suits, Kisara felt a blush rising in her cheeks as she answered. The woman must have been Roland's wife; Emiko Tanaka.

"Y-yes …"

"Well, it's nice to finally meet you."

Finishing her folding and placing the small romper suits into a carry-bag, the woman straightened and looked to the newcomers. She was used to seeing young Seto at this stage - a nice boy, but his wife-to-be was a new acquaintance. Emiko had only ever seen Kisara Ashbrook's image on the television or in the papers, but the girl seemed all the more endearing in the flesh, though awfully timid as she blushed brightly. Roland had told her how shy the European was, and Emiko had to admit that she pitied the foreigner; in a new country with strange customs and thrust into an arranged marriage. That was something she was still wary of; an arranged marriage in this day and age? Let alone in the spotlight of such media attention. But still, the shyness of the girl bothered her somewhat; being outspoken by nature, Emiko considered the shyness as a challenge of sorts … give her some time with Kisara and she'd have that girl talking and laughing …

A cry from the nearby cot alerted the mother that it was near feeding time once again; the sooner they got home, the sooner a routine could be established. Knowing Daiki and little Taku, she had no doubt the two would deprive their little sister of precious sleep; the two boys had been hyper with excitement for the past week.

Jumping at the unfamiliar noise, Kisara looked to the small cot to the right of Emiko. It had been years since she had heard a baby cry, never mind a newborn. As a child, she could remember a friend of her aunt's arriving at the chateau with a baby boy … or maybe it had been a girl; those memories had been a long time ago.

"Oh, shush, shush…"

Smiling as she cradled her tiny daughter, Kisara noticed how Emiko's face seemed to alter completely as she beamed, quietening the newborn in a matter of seconds; proof of her mothering experience. Still blushing lightly, Kisara couldn't tear her eyes away from little Miyuki, something that didn't go unnoticed as Seto stood behind her and Roland's wife flashed a plotting smile, not unlike Rebecca.

"Do me a favour while I pack these last few bits, just hold her for a five minutes, okay?"

"B-but I ... "

Stuttering a half-protest, Kisara blinked as a light weight was placed in her arms, which had rebelliously outstretched unbeknownst to her. She'd never held a baby before; why was Roland's wife entrusting her to hold her daughter? Although indignant thoughts shouted of their non-existent knowledge with infants, young woman found herself looking down at the small bundle now lying comfortably in the cradle of her arms.

"Just support her head a little more and you've got it … that's it, see; you're a natural!"

Walking back to her job of folding cloth diapers and romper suits, Emiko shot her husband a very satisfied-looking smile as she spoke over her shoulder. Re-adjusting her arm to do as instructed, Kisara noticed how light a newborn baby actually was, along with the minute features such as fingers and nails. Watching as little Miyuki opened her drowsy eyes, she smiled lightly; the baby had inherited her parents green irises. So this was Seto's goddaughter; maybe little babies weren't all that daunting after all.

* * *

**A/n- ****I really hope you guys liked it, and thanks a million for waiting and taking the time to read through this chapter; I promise the next will be uploaded much quicker! XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

3rd Revision - 3/March/2011


	22. Memories

**Author's Note:** Hi guys! I was trying to update within a month, but I missed my own deadline by a day ... sorry yet again! I really hope you guys like this chapter and thanks for waiting so patiently for the umpteenth time! XxxxxxxxxxxxX

* * *

"_When we're through building memories I'll hold yesterday in my heart"_

* * *

The normally bright sun was hidden behind a bank of clouds, just as it had been for the past week; winter had finally hit the south of France.

Standing out on a cold stone balcony of her home chateau, Isabelle Ashbrook pulled her knitwear cardigan closer around her gaunt frame, guarding against the chilly wind playing tag amidst the grapevines. Shivering despite her layers of clothes, the woman found herself counting down the days until they flew to the vineyard in Italy to escape the winter. Only another three days …

The neigh of a horse made the middle-aged woman start, having grown to loathe the sound. The Ashbrook stables had once been renowned in the racing world, but their reputation had dwindled in the last nine years. Almost like a switch being turned on, thinking of horses brought Isabelle straight back to the Christmas those nine years ago; the occasion constantly chipping away at whatever peace she found.

Kisara had turned twenty this year and Natalie would have been twenty-five were she still alive. To think she could have watched her daughter grow up and marry, and possibly even be a grandmother by now …

The pain would fade eventually - she knew that - and maybe someday she might not think of Natalie at all - of how tall her child would be, of how she would look as an adult or even of how her infectious giggle might sound emanating from mature vocal chords.

Feeling as though a tear might dare to escape her iron grip, the Ashbrook matriarch shut her feelings away and denied them of any expression … but the grapevines rustled forlornly in the breeze, as though lamenting for the two little girls that once played a lively game of chase amongst them.

Almost guiltily, the woman found her mind wandering to the daughter that had never been hers; to the four-year-old who had been unable to speak a word of English or French upon arrival, only the syntax of Japanese. Ironically coming full-circle, it was the country of that language where Kisara now resided.

That girl had caused so much trouble in her young years. Being born out of wedlock was bad enough in terms of the corporate world's social status, but she also sported that god-awful appearance. The colourless tresses and flawless cerulean eyes had pleased Isabelle at first; she had considered the oddity as a rare beauty, along with her angled eyes and high cheekbones, both inherited from her Japanese mother. Unfortunately, that appreciation of the child's looks had slowly morphed into a grudging loathe during the last nine years as Kisara had grown to be more like Natalie. At sixteen year of age, she had sent Kisara away to university a few years earlier than most … to protect her … at least that was what she told herself. The girl had spent the last three and a half years abroad and only returning to France for a few days at a time. Finally the day had come when Seto Kaiba turned twenty-one and she had been relieved of a weighty burden.

Pulling the thick woollen cardigan tighter around her, Isabelle Ashbrook seemed oblivious of her sickly figure, or of the weight she had lost over the last couple of years. Instead, she shivered in the dying evening and turned back towards the open double doors, heading for the interior of the chateau. At least that burden was on the other side of the world now.

* * *

"I can't believe they actually apologised …"

Téa smiled as she heard Kisara's amazed voice. The last few days had been a blur, what with all the big announcements on Monday and then the final run-up to Christmas. Looking around the streets of Domino this evening, missing from the throngs of people were small children; all at home, curled up in their duvets awaiting St. Nicholas' visit tonight. The brunette, who had been eying a pair of shoes, smiled again as they walked; Yugi had been right in saying Kaiba would sort everything out yet again.

"He told you he'd fix it, didn't he? And we had this problem last year too; some magazine started a rumour about Yugi and Seto being … ummm, intimate …"

At that, Kisara broke out into a fit of giggles; she kind of regretted not being in Japan at the time to read that article. Nonetheless, Seto had set Rin loose on the journalist who had taken the picture of her falling against Zigfried, and the _Domino Express _had issued a very eloquently-worded apology and had offered a notable amount of yen to the charity of her choice as compensation for the slander. Apparently Rin had threatened them with court action, and Kisara couldn't blame them for being scared of the secretary.

No one bothered to give her any derogatory looks today; they were all much too busy buying the last rolls of wrapping paper and carrots to leave out for Rudolph and his friends. Finally following up her offer of a girly-day before the earthquake, Kisara and Téa had been traipsing about Domino for the past few hours, stopping here and there to browse or window shop. It was hard to believe that Christmas was upon them already; it seemed to have jumped from nowhere.

"So, one week until this function …"

Téa sighed as she let her eyes wander to the window of a jewellery store. Monday had rolled up and with it had come KaibaCorp's announcement via the portly woman, making clear all arrangements for the upcoming event. Invitations had promptly arrived on Tuesday morning to all involved.

"Téa, what's over there?"

The dancer pulled her eyes from the sparkling diamonds and looked across the wide street to where Kisara was pointing; the French woman wasn't completely certain of Domino's layout and found herself unfamiliar with many of the buildings. Taking note of the large stone structure, with a crowd exiting, Téa hid a cringe. She'd been trying to avoid this street all day, but somehow their browsing had led them here; karma could be a sly manipulator.

"Th- that's Domino's Museum …"

Kisara looked to her friend; it just seemed so unusual to hear Téa stutter, normally that was her thing. Looking across the street, Kisara found the stone building to be intriguing as a few people climbed the steps and entered through the large doors. She'd been to a few museums during the last couple years, but none of that size … she hadn't even known that Domino possessed a museum.

"C'mon, I'll show you around!"

Forcing a smile, Téa linked arms with Kisara and led the way towards the museum. Part of her felt guilty, but the other part was indignant; if she didn't offer to check out the museum, then Kisara might go wandering in there on her own some day, and with the stone tablet still in the building, any wandering could be bad. At least if she was with her, Téa could make sure Kisara didn't see the Ancient Egyptian exhibit; she was just being a good friend. And that's where the guilt undermined her indignation. A real friend would have distracted Kisara's attention with some more shopping or even a trip to KaibaCorp, where Seto Kaiba had been kept busy since Monday. Her head said to stop walking and head for the shops, but her legs kept walking towards the museum, Kisara by her side. Téa bit her lip as they started climbing the stone steps leading to the building's open double doors … part of her wanted to see if Kisara remembered anything.

Crossing the threshold with heavy heart, the young dancer felt the usual trepidation she did when in the museum; so much had happened in her past, most of it originating from this cavernous old building.

The opening foyer of the museum boasted colourful lights and festive decorations, along with a few people walking about quietly; probably trying to hide from the snow still falling outside. Just as Téa thought the guilt would come up her throat, Kisara began to ask about the various paintings on the walls and they soon began to walk slowly through the museum.

It had been so long since she'd been in the museum that Téa had forgotten how much she liked to walk through the corridors. She told Kisara about the huge Taiko drum that stood in the centre of one of the larger rooms, dominating the surrounding smaller models of the drum. Two modest magatama necklaces were protected behind glass cases, exhumed from a centuries old grave. They seemed rather archaic compared to the rich red furisode displayed on the other side of the room, its long sleeves almost trailing the ground. Looking at the ancient necklaces made of crystallised minerals, Kisara found herself thinking of the small crystal rose the mohawk-sporting artist had created at the market. The small figurine had been captivating.

Téa smiled as they wandered; it felt good to be re-examining her knowledge of her own heritage. The furisode was a special type of kimono worn only by unmarried women, or by young women on their Coming of Age Day; the second Monday of January. Thinking of her mother's rich indigo furisode hanging up at home, Téa looked forward to January, when she would attend the Coming of Age Day at Domino's city hall.

Walking into the next large room, she explained about the many emperors of Japan, whose portraits lined the walls. Looking up at the paintings, Kisara recognised the last one in the line as Emperor Akihito; the current emperor. The seventy-six year-old looked very regal standing alongside his quaint wife, Empress Michiko. The following exhibition room was one focusing on dinosaurs, with the skeleton of a Triceratops standing pride-of-place on a central podium. Rock samples, all in their individual glass encasements, showed the fossilised remains of leaves and a few smaller dinosaurs.

Sitting down on a bench in one of the museum's wide corridors, the two young women took in the various paintings and textiles adorning the walls; memories of the Edo and Meiji periods in Japan's history. Laying down the few shopping bags she had acquired earlier in the day, Kisara thanked the fact that she'd worn flats today; with all the walking they'd done the sneakers offered some comfort to her tired feet. Looking up as a sparkle caught her eye, she smiled. Her friend was sporting a pretty necklace, the pendant hanging from the chain being an intricate design of her name's two kanji's, each with a sparkling jewel.

"Oh Téa, it's beautiful …"

The brunette beamed happily as she ran her fingers over the new necklace; the two gems had just caught the light. She was quite proud of the new piece of jewellery.

"It's my Christmas present from Yugi; he gave it to me today because he's flying out to visit his dad in America. What d'you think Seto will get you?"

"His dad?"

Kisara hadn't meant to blurt out the question, it was just that she'd assumed the King of Games' father was out of the picture. Anytime the heiress had been at the shop, she had only ever seen Yugi's grandfather, or his mousy-haired mother, but never a father. Expecting the question, Téa nodded; she had only met Yugi's dad four times in her years knowing him. Koji Muto was a high-flying businessman who spent most of his time flying between countries and clenching deals. Yugi only got to see him a few times a year, so she could hardly complain about him flying off at Christmas with his grandpa and mother.

"Yup, his dad's a business man; spends most of his time abroad. And no changing the topic, back to the gossip; Seto, prezzie?"

Smiling at the evil-eyes Téa had just sent her, Kisara shrugged her shoulders; she had absolutely no clue whatsoever. It had been so long since she had received a Christmas present, she wasn't expecting any.

"I don't know … I doubt I'll get one; he's been so busy at KaibaCorp lately-"

"He'll get you something special."

Examining her nails as she said it nonchalantly, Téa stretched. From her perspective, it was clear to see how much Kaiba had fallen for her newest friend. In the years she had known the CEO, he'd never shown his candid feelings so much. True, Seto Kaiba wasn't going to pull out a mandolin in the middle of Domino and start serenading, but her trained eyes could see how he felt about Kisara compared to all the nameless girls of the past few years. He laughed more, wore casual clothes and walked around Domino with a smile. That alone told Téa Gardner a lot. Looking back to Kisara, she smiled widely and stood, pulling the other girl with her.

Walking down the long corridor, taking their time to examine every other artefact, the brunette slowed down and stopped. The two young women stood on the spot for a lengthy minute or two. To the security guard at the other end of the corridor, it merely looked as though the girls were reading the text explaining about the terracotta pottery in front of them, but to another of their age and sex, it was clear that both were lost in thought.

"He really likes you, you know."

Still smiling as she eventually broke the silence, the dancer had noticed how Kisara dropped her eyes and blushed, looking at her engagement ring and feigning interest in the broken pots on show. Téa sighed as she looked up at the high ceiling; Kisara and Kaiba were so in over their heads, it was frustrating to watch. Neither wanted to get burned and neither wanted to wear their hearts on their sleeves.

Still fidgeting with her engagement ring, Kisara took a breath and opened her mouth, but left the breath out again. The words were in her mouth and ready to jump off of the tip of her tongue, but refused to do so; afraid of the dizzying height they might have to fall. Re-linking arms with the slightly shorter Kisara, Téa stood beside her and also feigned interest in the shattered pottery, speaking lowly as she did so.

"It's okay, anything you tell me stays here; no _Domino Express _journalist is gonna get wind of it. You can trust me."

It must have been hard for the older girl; being in a new country and not knowing very many people. She lived in a household with two males, which hardly offered any girly-feeling chats. Téa had felt the same way for ages, being surrounded by nothing but boys. But then Mai and Serenity had come along. The broken pots were starting to bore her slightly when the ballerina felt a weight against her shoulder; Kisara had just leaned towards her, cheeks blushing, but not as vividly as two months ago.

"I … I really like him too …"

"Bet it feels good to tell someone that, huh?"

Nodding her head, Kisara laughed as Téa half-hugged her and they began walking down the corridor again. There was still a lot of the museum to see, but most of that could wait for another day; when the stone tablet had returned to its home in Egypt.

"Next time we have a chat like this, there's gonna be a chick-flick and ice-cream; promise!"

The young security guard nodded his head as the two young women walked by, the brunette speaking. He recognised both of them, but he had no time to be taken aback; he had too much work to do. Between teens messing about in the European exhibition room, and a small kid throwing up in the previous hall, he just couldn't wait for the day to end and make it home to his new wife and their little girl.

* * *

Only one more week until the intimidating stone tablet returned back to its resting place again, where all seven of the Millennium Items were sleeping. Each one of the golden implements lay comfortably in its indentation, surrounded by their stone guardian.

Brushing back her ebony locks, the young woman reflected on the tormented spirit of Shadi. She hadn't seen the spectre since the aftermath of the memory world, when Pharaoh Atem had finally departed for his long-awaited afterlife. Ishizu Ishtar was secretly glad she hadn't been visited by the spirit for over three years; maybe he too had found some modicum of peace now that everything had been dealt with.

Looking back up at the Tablet of Lost Memories, the thing that had started all the drama, the Egyptian cast her eyes to the bottom of the stela and let her attention linger over the desecrated cartouche. For millennia his name had been long-forgotten; banished along with the young man's memory. All of it had been lost amongst the eons until a timid young boy had decided to solve an ancient puzzle and unlock everything.

The sound of footsteps echoing off the tiled floor made Ishizu glance towards one of the open doorways, where a security guard had just entered. Being the curator of the Ancient Egyptian exhibit, bringing new attractions every year, Ishizu had become familiar with the museum's staff. The guard standing before her now had been working in the building for two years and, by all accounts, he had a young wife and a little girl to provide for.

"Is there many left in the building, Yasushi?"

The young man shook his head, walking forward a few steps; another half-an-hour and the museum would finally close for the night.

"No, not many; a few kids by the dinosaurs and two girls walking the corridor outside."

Hearing the two female voices echoing from the hall outside the room, Ishizu nodded her thanks to Yasushi as he walked back out to begin locking up the empty exhibitions. She would wait for the museum to close before beginning to move some artefacts. Since the stone stela only had one more week on show, the young woman had begun to ship over numerous other items from her homeland; golden ankhs, papyrus scrolls, an ancient scythe once used to harvest crops along the fertile banks of the Nile, and many other small items. She was hoping that all these newer pieces would fill up the exhibit after the stone tablet was sent home.

Hearing footsteps again, Ishizu looked back to the door; the accompanying laughter told her that it wasn't Yasushi returning. To be quite honest, she really didn't want to deal with rambunctious teenagers right now.

It wasn't teenagers to enter the large room; it was two young women, smiling and laughing. It was the girls Yasushi had told her were walking the corridor. She recognised both of them, and Ishizu took notice of how the brunette's smile faltered almost immediately.

Téa froze to the spot as she looked up; all her attempts to avoid this room had come back to bite her in the butt. She should have paid more attention to the way they'd been walking, but she'd been too busy chatting away with Kisara and laughing. The dancer mentally kicked herself for being so careless in the first place; she should have never come to the museum this evening. Her curious side had led Kisara to the building in a bid to examine her memories, if the timid newcomer even had any, but her conscience had decided against it … and now karma had played its evil little game and brought them to the Ancient Egyptian showroom.

"Téa, long time no see, how have you been?"

Forcing a convincing smile, Téa let her acting side surface; Ishizu hadn't been in the memory world those three years ago, she hadn't seen anything they had. If she had anything to do with it, the tomb guardian would know nothing, just like Kisara.

"Hi Ishizu! It's been way too long - oh, this is Kisara Ashbrook. Kisara, this is Ishizu Ishtar; an old friend."

"Ms. Ashbrook, it's so nice to meet you in the flesh."

As Ishizu shook hands with an already-blushing Kisara, Téa's mind processed the words of Marik's sister; when she said 'in the flesh', did she mean instead of watching the television or reading the newspapers or in terms of mummies and ancient Egypt? Did in the flesh actually mean _in_ the flesh?

"P-pleased to meet y-you."

Although she blushed and stuttered through the welcome, Kisara found her eyes looking up at the large stone tablet behind this tanned woman; it was a monstrous slab with hieroglyphs and images etched into it. From a geographer's point of view, she wondered what kind of stone it was; granite, alabaster, precious marble or the softer limestone? Egypt had such a large choice of rock types, with differing materials found in each strata. Looking a bit closer, Kisara felt a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips; she almost fancied the two people to resemble Seto and Yugi if she squinted a little.

"Well, I guess we better get going. Talk to you soon, Ishizu!"

With that cheery farewell from Téa, Kisara felt her friend re-linking arms with her and leading her towards the door again; the museum would be closing in a little while and they were probably the last visitors in it.

"Goodbye Téa, and it was nice to meet you Ms. Ashbrook."

The soft-spoken Ishizu smiled warmly as the two departed; she still had a lot of work to do before returning to her Domino apartment, and she could tell that Téa was none too pleased to be in front of the stone tablet. She found herself wondering if the dancer's friendship with Kisara had anything to do with that.

* * *

Christmas eve and he was only travelling home now, having been trapped in his office all day; trapped by choice that was. Everyone else in KaibaCorp had gone home hours ago; all caught up in the festive spirit of the evening. Three years ago and his building would have been filled with employees, but somewhere over the last thirty-six months he had softened to the idea of people wanting to be at home during Christmas.

And yet it was fast approaching midnight and here he was exiting one of his limos, having been working for the entire day. Poor Hiroki had been the last of the drivers at the underground garage and the one to drive him to the mansion. Watching as the black car slinked away through the gates, the young CEO turned to look up the double doors of his home. Why had he avoided coming here all day? There hadn't even been that much work to take care of, but he'd procrastinated all day long.

Jeans had been the clothing option again today, but a trip to the office had called for a shirt and probably should have meant a tie too, but the young man had conveniently forgotten to grab one this morning. Reaching into the deep pocket of his jeans, Seto pulled out a small box that was wrapped and adorned with a silver ribbon. Turning it around in his hands, he studied it aimlessly. He had always considered Christmas presents to be pointless commercialisations of a holiday, an opinion he still held … and yet he had bought her one. He didn't care if the gesture would be returned, but the thing that bothered the young man was that he'd known exactly what to get Kisara. No actually, Seto was slightly unsettled for a whole other reason; not _what_ he'd bought, but by the fact that he _had _bought her a gift in the first place.

All those other girls from years ago had never received such tokens from him; they'd merely gotten the sex and fifteen minutes of fame they'd wanted.

Smirking to himself despite the light snow still falling, Seto Kaiba recalled the girl he'd been linked with before Kisara's arrival. Rie Mitsuru had lasted all of a month, or maybe it had been two; to be quite honest, the young man tended to blank that period of time from his memory. The short-lived relationship had been the longest drag of his life.

Pocketing the small wrapped gift once again, Seto started to ascend the stone steps to his front door.

To his prejudiced eyes Rie Mitsuru had been highly-attractive, with deep hazel eyes and tresses of matching hair. Random highlighted streaks of hair had complimented her tanned complexion and when she smiled, the young model's perfect teeth had completed her flawless look. And that was where her good attributes ended. A cardboard personality and a figure consisting of a flat stomach and protruding hipbone had stood testament to her growing career as a glamour model, along with two of her biggest assets - assets that weren't exactly god-given; they were more silicone-given if anything. To match her arrogant looks, the girl had possessed an ego that put his to shame. Everything had been about her and about sex. It had been calls every ten minutes when he'd been at KaibaCorp working, so much so that the receptionists had resorted to blocking her incoming calls. She had been fast in letting everyone know about her trips to the mansion and her nights spent there.

And then Rie had wanted something more serious than sex; she had wanted a committed relationship and had thrown a tantrum when he declined. Apparently he should have been privileged to have been with her, and that she could find another guy within the week. That had been seven months ago and he had heard nothing more of the thorn in his side. Her younger sister, Ayane, was in Mokuba's year in high school and if she was anything like her big sis, Mokuba would want to steer clear. Once bitten with that family made him twice shy.

Opening the door, Seto's reflex kicked in and he moved his left foot over to bar Kai's way. The puppy stalked back to her bed in a huff, wanting to explore in the snow outside. More strings of tinsel littered the ground where the teething fluff-ball had created her own entertainment. Kicking one of the half-mangled baubles, Seto smirked as Kai took off down a hallway at high speed, yapping as she chased the skittering decoration.

Hearing a light cough from the living room, the young man walked towards the room. Mokuba was most probably in the city with his girlfriend, so that only left one inhabitant to be in the living room. Apart from the flashing television screen, there was no other light in the room and once again he found her to be asleep on the sofa, a blanket over her figure and the television muted; Mokuba had taken some initiative. Kisara Ashbrook versus Rie Mitsuru … he knew which name was more alluring, which personality he wanted to learn more about and which one he would have no doubts about committing to in a relationship.

He'd spent all of today and the last few working days cooped up in his office for a reason. He had avoided coming home until late at night for a reason. That reason was why he'd been unsettled by buying a gift, and why he'd found himself thinking of Rie despite his voluntary amnesia surrounding the loudmouth. She had wanted more than sex and he had dropped her. He and Kisara hadn't even got that far yet, thanks to Mokuba, and he didn't care. He liked spending time with her, liked talking with her and thought about her the whole time he was at KaibaCorp - a complete opposite to his blocking of Rie's calls.

And that there was the reason for his recent estrangement from Kisara. It was more than physical attraction, more than sex … and that kind of scared him. He'd never fallen for a girl this hard before; Seto Kaiba was in over his head and he now knew that was where he wanted to stay. Walking over to the large Christmas tree in the corner of the room, he placed the small box beneath its decorated branches, the silver ribbon catching the light filtering in from the foyer. Kisara looked peaceful on the couch so he left her, ensuring the blanket hadn't fallen.

Unfortunately for Seto Kaiba his reckoning of her peaceful sleep was misconstrued. Had the young man been able to peer into his fiancée's dreams he would have seen the turmoil brewing in her cluttered mind. The stone tablet from the museum loomed ahead, where a familiar figure stood, smiling at her. A purple-coloured figure and flash of light, the loud shriek of pain and the mournful roar of a dragon. Memories floated just outside her grasp, mixing amongst the grapevines of France and the Nile of Egypt. For the remainder of Christmas Eve night, when little kids slept soundly awaiting Saint Nicholas and parents sat down and hungrily eyed the cookies left out for the bearded man, Kisara Ashbrook would toss and turn in her sleep, desperately wanting to wake up from her muddled dreams but unable to do so until the light of morning finally penetrated the living room.

* * *

**A/n- ****Thanks a million for reading guys and please let me know what you thought; I tried to bring in a few different aspects, but I'm not quite sure if I managed to pull them all together. Anyways, thanks for waiting and for reading of course! XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**Footnote 1**: "_Paper Roses_" turned one-year-old on the 19-February-2010! Woohoo, a whole year old! Thanks a million for sticking by me for so long with this fic and please keep following; I have a feeling this story could be a long-haul!

**Footnote 3**= _Taiko drum _is the national drum of Japan. _Magatama_ is a naturally occurring crystal formation used to make an ancient form of auspicious jewellery in Japan. _Yugi's Daddy _- I didn't make this up, lol! This is true; though not named in the anime/manga or even seen, Yugi's father is said to be a business-man who spends a lot of time in foreign countries

3rd Revision - 3/March/2011


	23. Christmas

**Author's very sorry Note: **Hi guys ... yes, I have the audacity to actually upload something. I'm sorry, but school took over again. But you'll be glad to know that school is almost finished for me and then I'll just have finals before a summer of writing! Anyways, I apologise for the longest wait yet, and the uninspired title of this chapter, but I do really hope you all like it! XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

**Edit:** I edited the part concerning Mokuba and Seto's lockets. In doing some research into the manga, I found the background information I had to be wrong. 'Tis fixed now guys!

* * *

" '_Cause this is love and life / And nothing we can both control_"

* * *

There was never usually a box beneath the tree for him … normally Mokuba would buy something and give it ages before Christmas or days afterwards. That was why he'd been so surprised to find a small wrapped box beneath the tree, with his name written on the tag. Unfortunately her gift was still wrapped and untouched, with the sofa empty and no sign of Kai; Kisara had gone for one of her walks. Despite the previous night's silent acceptance of how he felt, Seto had been hoping to find Kisara with her gift already opened; he didn't want to see if she was disappointed or taken aback.

To be honest, he had never been any good at buying presents for people other than his brother. Mokuba was an easy person to please; a new Liverpool FC soccer jersey and an acoustic guitar kept the teen happy. In contrast, he had gone out on a limb with Kisara's gift, merely going on a hunch he'd had. Then again, he didn't feel too bad knowing she had done the same. Seto honestly couldn't remember the last time he'd received a Christmas present from anyone other than his little bro. It had been a strange feeling when he'd spotted his name on the tag of the small wrapped box. It hadn't been shock or even a ripple of excitement … what Seto Kaiba had felt niggling at the very pit of his stomach had been an undermining trepidation.

If he accepted the gift, it was yet another small step across the threshold of his past relationships, into the deeper seas of a commitment where he was only just managing to tread water with his head above. Now and then a wave sent him under for a little while, where an enthralling Ningyo awaited him, her smile luring him closer and closer.

Her gift to him was one of those waves and he had to make a decision whether to use what energy he had left to keep his head above water or dip beneath once again to see her. Before he even had time to consider his choices and their implications, Seto had found the small box already opened, his mind having told his hands to make the decision unbeknownst to him. Seto smirked; maybe the waters wouldn't be too deep.

* * *

Her head hurt and she had no clue why. It throbbed relentlessly, the pain hammering away at the very back of her skull. The cold weather didn't help and neither did Kai's yapping. The yapping that was fast turning into a bark as the husky matured.

Why her head was hurting so much, Kisara didn't have the foggiest of notions. The last time she had experienced a headache of such vigour had been three years ago in China, when Vivian had insisted on hitting just _one_ more disco. Even then, the resulting hangover-headache hadn't been quite on par with the splitting migraine she now had.

But it made no sense; aside form the headache, she didn't feel sick and Kisara knew for sure that alcohol couldn't be at the cause of her pain. Last night had been completely uneventful. She had watched the television for a while; Bon Jovi, an old favourite of hers, had been live in concert and she had settled down to watch it, switching back between the rockers and The Santa Clause. The light-hearted comedy had been the most amusing of the saccharine festive films cluttering the television channels on Christmas Eve.

Baffled as to why she had a migraine, she sat down on the edge of the frozen fountain and looked up at the Kaiba Mansion. She had fallen asleep towards the end of the movie, so nothing could really account for her headache … maybe it was just a result of sleeping on the couch. Giving up and just succumbing to the hammering pain, she glanced to the kitchen window, smiling lightly at the tinsel decorating the sill on the inside. It was a mixture of purple and silver; two colours she oddly remembered seeing somewhere before.

Cringing as Kai started her yapping once again, Kisara groaned; the pain in her head had just received a second wind. Images floated around the brink of her memories of last night; she half-remembered having a horribly incomprehensible dream. The confusing clash of recollections seemed to fight against one another for a few seconds before lazily swimming into colourful focus. A purple-hued billowing figure with a golden eye seemed to jeer around her subconscious for a split-second before it was chased away by the echoing roar of a silver-scaled dragon with sorrowful eyes.

Those two things had strangely haunted her dreams last night, again and again. She had no clue why they had, but chalked it down to watching a few too many duels on Youtube. Pushing the confusing clash of duel monsters to the back of her mind, where the pain was still hammering away, Kisara watched as Kai nosed around the lawn; her migraine was worsening the more she tried to recall the unimportant dream.

Apparently taking no notice of her owner's pained status, Kai returned to her yapping yet again, something across the lawn having caught her bright icy eyes. Giving the puppy a pleading look, Kisara raked a hand through her long hair and looked up at the sky; dark steely clouds seemed to erase any horizon, meaning even more snow on the forecast. Glancing around the dormant lawns of the mansion's landscaped grounds, the young woman decided she liked the eloquent lawns much more than the arid-looking grapevines of her old home.

"Shush Kai …"

Kisara stood and shot the puppy a confused look; normally Kai hushed up when she was called, but the fur-ball was intent on yapping all the louder and then dropping to a low growl. At that sound Kisara hesitated; the last time Kai had growled like that had been just before the earthquake struck. The young woman stood still for a few seconds, unsure of what had Kai so riled. Looking around the blank canvas of the grounds, she saw nothing out of the ordinary; not even a lonely bird searching for food. Writing the growling off as the little husky's own inquisitiveness and feeling the cold biting at her fingers, Kisara made to turn and head back to the mansion, clicking her tongue for the little dog to follow.

"C'mon …"

Heeding the command, Kai trotted up to her owner's heels and followed obediently. Passing by the fountain, Kisara stopped short, an icy shiver running up and down the length of her spine. Looking over her shoulder, the shiver returned as her eyes settled on the skeletal form of a sakura tree. Though bare of its iconic cherry blossoms, the tree gained her attention for a whole other reason; in the shadows of the impressive cherry blossom tree stood a man. Looking him up and down as best she could, Kisara took in his tall stature and tanned skin … had she been close enough, the young woman would have noted the vacant-looking cerulean eyes too. From her limited view of the man, she felt her heart skip a beat; no one in the security team possessed such an appearance, and the only people who should be on the grounds were the suited men and women of KaibaCorp security. Looking back to the mansion, the young woman judged the distance to the back door. Just as she was about to take a breath and call for Isamu or any of his colleagues, Kisara looked back to the sakura tree. No matter how hard she squinted or the few tentative steps she took closer to the tree, there was no one there.

Looking around her, from the high wall to the small forest, the young woman became acutely aware of just how expansive the Kaiba mansion's grounds actually were. Now on edge, Kisara made for the mansion, walking a few brisk steps until she lost her nerve and broke out into a run with the pain hammering away at the back of her skull stronger than it ever had. Unbeknownst to the spooked woman, a pair of emotionless blue eyes followed her every move from the shadow of the sakura tree, this time invisible to her, but there watching her new life nonetheless.

Entering through the back door and into the utility room, Kisara let loose a shaky sigh of relief and smiled wanly as Kai scampered off into the kitchen, probably intent on mangling a few more baubles or a string of tinsel lying about in the foyer. The little pup seemed none the worse after their strange visitor. She would tell Isamu or Roland, whenever the man returned to work. She would tell them of the unsettling individual … that was, if he had even been there. Shivering, the she looked at her clothes; her hoody was saturated from the snow still falling outside and her jeans didn't look that much better. Grabbing the garment's hem, Kisara pulled it upwards and over her head, discarding the pale pink hoody in the laundry basket. Her short-sleeved purple t-shirt was almost on par with her hoody, but she'd wait to discard that item of clothing until she got to her room.

Running her hands up and down her bare arms and still breathing heavy from her rushed entry into the mansion, the spooked heiress continued on into the kitchen, intent on climbing the stairs to her room; she was soaked and cold and her head still felt like it was splitting in two. Against her better judgement, Kisara found herself stopping to look out the kitchen's large window and across the snow-covered lawns. She cautiously eyed the large sakura tree for a few seconds; nobody stood there now, with only a few branches swaying innocently in the wintry breeze.

The young woman folded her arms across her chest and heaved a sigh; maybe it was just the day that was in it. There wasn't a soul in the garden right now and she was beginning to doubt if there had been anyone there in the first place. This date was supposed to be a day full of happiness, when families gathered together to celebrate whatever religion they so chose, not to mourn a terrible accident that was nine years in the past. Pulling her mobile phone from her jeans pocket, Kisara considered dialling in the number; they would be at the Italian vineyards at this time of year. Hesitating, the young woman tried to convince herself that she'd forgotten the phone number, just like she had for the previous eight Christmases. What would they say if she did call; have a merry Christmas? Her aunt would try to be welcoming and well-wishing, but her uncle would certainly hit the end-call button.

Staring at the cherry blossom tree without really seeing it at all, the pensive young woman didn't hear the door from the foyer opening or the footsteps behind her. It was only as she felt a light hand on her shoulder that she snapped out of her daze and started slightly.

"You forgot something."

That voice instantly sated any nerves she had and let a smile surface above the thoughts of her family. Instinctively, she leaned back against his taller frame, eyebrows furrowing at the small wrapped box he had placed on the countertop in front of her. Looking upwards, Kisara frowned at the upside-down perspective of her fiancé's face.

"What is it?"

"Open it."

The smirk and shrug Seto gave her only made Kisara more curious about the small box with its silver ribbon. Taking a few more seconds of liberty to study the wrapped box, she pulled gently at the ribbon, un-doing the small bow, finding where the thick wrapping paper was taped together and pulling it apart. The small box within was much more eye-catching than expected; the normal navy colour was replaced with a light grey hue, decoratively dotted with what looked like splatters of bright-coloured paint. Although it was small, fitting neatly in the palm of her hand, Kisara took note of the box's heavy weight. The last thing she had received in a box so small had been a pair of diamond earrings from her aunt, which she had overlooked and left all the way back in France, despite their worth.

Finally giving into her curiosity, the young woman lifted the lid of the unusual box and broke out into a wide smile. Cushioned in pale grey satin and matching tissue paper was the miniature crystal rose she'd watched being created at the market. Holding the figurine in her right hand, Kisara turned it around carefully and took in the flawless detail of the glass flower. Each petal differed slightly in size, if only by the tiniest of measurements and miniscule thorns on its fragile stem added to the realism of the little sculpture. Its barely-there hues of red and green completed the pretty imitation. Placing the small rose back into its nest of satin and tissue paper, half-afraid she might break its fragile form, Kisara acknowledged just how talented the mohawk-woman was.

She was taken aback by the gift; the last person to put such thought into a present meant for her had been Vivian and that had been a simple birthday card, full of the older girl's handwriting and birthday wishes. The diamond earrings from her aunt, probably lying dejectedly on her dressing table in the chateau, paled in comparison to both Vivian's card and the pretty rose figurine. Diamonds might be a girl's best friend, but they were apathetic to look at; the gems flaunted wealth and sparkles, but the small crystalline rose seemed much more thoughtful in her opinion, even if it was just an imitation of the real thing. Staring down at the fragile sculpture, she felt like a small child that had just received the top-most gift on her list.

"Seto, I love it!"

Just like the night of the quake, Seto was caught off-guard by the sudden hug, taking a step back to save his balance. Smirking, the young CEO steadied himself, hands finding their way to Kisara's waist. For one reason or another, his ego had just inched up another notch knowing he'd managed to pick a gift she liked.

Still smiling from ear to ear, Kisara looked up to lock eyes with her fiancé, gaze automatically flashing to where his stitches had been. She still found it hard to imagine that the earthquake had only been ten days ago, then again she still wondered where the three months had gone since she'd arrived in Japan and been given a tour of the mansion for the first time. Compared to those first few days, she felt proud of how easily she could accept a simple kiss or embrace from the same young man she had once thought emotionless.

Following suit of his hands on her waist, she moved to link her arms around his neck, eyeing the engagement ring that could have been from Zigfried in another life. Suddenly noticing something, Kisara stopped short.

Since she'd arrived in Japan, Seto had always been seen with one and only one necklace, if it could even be called that; it was a simple length of brown cord with what looked like a Duel Monster card suspended from it. In the last week or so, she had noticed Mokuba sporting an identical card-pendant. But what had stopped Kisara in her tracks was the fact that Seto now wore a second, familiar item around his neck.

It was a thin silver chain that she had bought yesterday, before venturing into the museum. Téa had helped her pick it out from Domino's top jewellery store. The young dancer had almost fallen over when she'd noticed the price of the chain, but Kisara had found the price to be insignificant; most of her jewellery back in France had cost two of three times its price. That aside, she hadn't actually thought he'd wear it … then again she hadn't expected him to buy her anything. For some reason Kisara felt immensely embarrassed that he was wearing something she had chosen; he was probably only doing it out of politeness.

"I … if you d-don't like it …"

Seto narrowed his eyes at the sudden change of mood; she had just stuttered and a light blush had crept into her cheeks. Those were signs he hadn't seen in an age, at least not caused by him. Moving his hands to catch hers as they abruptly left his neck, the young man frowned; he must have said or done something that caused her guard to jump into place. Holding her hands in his, just above his collarbone, Seto looked down the few inches into her eyes.

"What's wrong?"

The inquiry seemed to make things worse; her blush deepened and Kisara averted her eyes to the tiled floor, pulling them from his searching stare. The very stare that was noticing the same signs of three months previous, when he'd taught her how to play Duel Monsters; back then he'd said something that had made her uneasy, and the young man felt guilty and frustrated that he was still doing the same thing. Kisara blinked as her chin was tilted upwards, a soft kiss placed on her lips and a look in his blue eyes that told her volumes of how much he liked her Christmas present. In a matter of seconds she felt the red blush drain away and a small smile break through.

Even though her smile widened into a shy grin, Kisara shook as a strong shiver ran through her, from the top of her spine right down to her toes; maybe ditching her hoody in the laundry basket hadn't been quite a good idea after all, and her still-kicking headache wasn't being helped by her damp attire. A second shiver played tag up and down her spine, but it wasn't because of the cold. Feeling as though she was being watched for the second time that day, she glanced over her shoulder and out the window at the snow-covered lawns yet again. She could have sworn she glimpsed vacant blue eyes keeping tags on her.

"Here …"

Turning back around at the sound of his voice, Kisara blinked at the surprise of a dark blue hoody being fitted over her head. Her arms automatically found the sleeves before her headache-plagued brain could comprehend what was happening. Brushing damp strands out of her eyes, Seto flashed a satisfied smirk as he stood hoody-less with just a fitted black tee.

"Better?"

"_Oui _…"

Her answer was punctuated by a small laugh as she took note of the hoody's size. It was much too big for her frame, with its waistband reaching to her thighs and the sleeves swallowing her hands. But it was warm and Kisara smiled all the more as she felt his hands back on her waist. She had come to realise that Seto possessed a knack for making her feel better lately; from telling her she was beautiful weeks ago, forcing the newspaper to apologise yesterday to just simply making the cold go away. Kisara silently wondered if he could make everything else better, all the other things that worried her; her neglected friendship with Vivian, Natalie, her muddled dreams of last night, the constant feeling that she was being watched by emotionless eyes or even the sudden loneliness she now felt.

"Hey …"

Taken aback, Seto concluded that females were confusing; she'd been smiling one second, then hiding her face in the crook of his neck the next, but not before he glimpsed a sparkle in her eyes. A sparkle that looked suspiciously like tears to him, but the young man said nothing as he smoothed her damp hair. Whatever was going on in her head, he had no clue and didn't want to intrude, but if she told him … then maybe he could fix it. Seto found himself _wanting_ to fix whatever had caused that lost look in her deep blue eyes.

The noise of the front door opening caused him to stir and Kisara to start slightly. Her eyes glanced up to question his, but Seto merely shrugged his answer without a second thought; there was only one other person than them who would exit and enter the house today.

"It's Mokuba."

Kisara nodded her head with a small roll of her eyes; of course it was Mokuba. Why she had automatically thought of the intruder from the garden was beyond her. She needed a long hot shower and some more sleep to deal with her headache, that was all.

"Kaiba!"

"Devlin?"

Seto frowned and narrowed his eyes; why the hell was Duke Devlin barging into his house, on Christmas day no less? Thinking for a second, Kisara recognised the voice but the name meant nothing to her. Judging by how quick Seto headed for the foyer, this Devlin guy wasn't a regular visitor to the mansion, and Kisara was fast in following her fiancé out of the kitchen. Pushing through the swinging door, the young woman stopped dead in her tracks as she took in the scene.

"Mokuba!"

Kisara clamped a hand to her mouth, eyes blinking a few times to make sure she wasn't in the middle of another melancholy dream. She hadn't meant to call out like that, but she couldn't help it. Joey Wheeler and the black-haired dice-boy were holding a bedraggled Mokuba between them. Téa was at the back of the quartet, closing the front door. But that wasn't what had shocked Kisara so much; Seto's younger brother looked as though he had just been dragged through a ditch backwards. His shirt was ripped in patches, the knees of his jeans scuffed and his right eye was suspiciously swollen looking, foretelling of a dark bruise.

"Shit!"

Snapping out of the frozen second of shock, everyone seemed to move at once as Mokuba's knees buckled beneath him and Seto swore. In an instant, the four males had disappeared into the kitchen and Kisara felt a hand on her shoulder as she made to follow.

"Just let Seto deal with it. Trust me, give them some space."

Téa stood behind her, smiling reassuringly as she spoke. It took only a few seconds for the ballerina's bright eyes to begin scanning up and down. The young dancer made a tutting noise and raised an eyebrow as she spotted the KC stitched onto the noticeably-large hoody her friend sported. Blushing slightly, Kisara shrugged her shoulders as an answer.

* * *

Devlin and Wheeler had left ten minutes ago, with whatever mumbled thanks he could spare for the blond of the duo. Gardner was still in the house; he could hear her voice now and then talking to Kisara. Running a hand through his hair, Seto looked to his little brother. He could threaten to sue the others involved in the fight, to prosecute them for assault, but if it was him Seto knew he wouldn't want anyone else trying to take care of his problem.

"What happened?"

Cleaned up, Mokuba's imminent black eye was all the more obvious along with a split lip and various other bruises and cuts.

"You should see the other guys …"

"Mokuba."

The teenager let his pained smirk drop at his brother's tone. Somehow, he doubted smart answers were going to get him anywhere today. Standing up from the wooden kitchen chair, Mokuba headed for the cupboard that held drinking glasses and tumblers, his steps a little unsteady at first. Looking over his shoulder to find Seto still looking at him with that "_I'm-waiting-for-an-answer_" look, the youth shrugged.

"I got in a fight."

"Believe it or not, but I came to that conclusion on my own."

Heaving another shrug from his aching shoulders, the younger Kaiba brother made his way to the sink and left the cold faucet running for a few silent seconds before letting the water fill the glass in his hand. Turning back around to face his brother, Mokuba shrugged again as he leaned back against the countertop.

"Some guys I don't get on with in school jumped me on the way to Rebecca's, I held my own for a while but I'm out of practice and there was four of them."

Seto nodded his head, knowing there was more to tell by the teenager's tone. He watched as Mokuba threw a few mock punches with a joking smile; his attempt to lighten the mood yet again. The teenager had once attended Domino's boxing club and been pretty good at the sport, but then testosterone had taken over and his attention had shifted away from sports and onto the other sex.

"And?"

"And Leon got involved too; he tried to break it up, but ended up as bad as me."

"Leon Von Schroeder?"

Mokuba nodded his head as Seto asked the question. He hadn't even known Leon was in Domino with Zigfried until the German teenager had joined the fight and helped him break a few noses in retaliation. They had had the upper hand for a few minutes until the two-to-one ratio had taken its toll. Figuring he might aswell get the whole thing out in the open, Mokuba continued on.

"Tristan and Serenity took Leon back to Zigfried; it was Joey to break up the fight in the end though. He was walking around with Mai and spotted us, jumped in and handed out a few more black eyes."

Seto nodded his head; he'd have to find a way to thank Wheeler without causing a big scene; there was no way he'd ever live it down otherwise. He focused his attention back onto his little brother as Mokuba took a breath to say something but thought better of it. Raising an eyebrow, Seto silently questioned whatever the youth had to say.

"I … I didn't get jumped for no reason, Seto."

"Go on."

The teenager fidgeted with the glass in his hand for a few seconds, violet eyes examining the water held in it.

"There wouldn't have been a fight if I hadn't swung for one of them."

"So you started it?"

A small silence ensued, where Mokuba weighed up his options; really, it wasn't him to start the fight in essence, even if he had thrown the first physical punch … frowning with indignation, he shook his head.

"Nope, Hiro Kanno did. He said some things-"

"Aren't you old enough to ignore name-calling, Mokuba?"

Pulling his eyes up from where they'd been studying the water in his glass, Mokuba shook his head slightly.

"He wasn't talking about me. He … he said Kisara was a whore, that she should go back to France and the Moulin Rouge … so I broke his nose."

Now it was Seto's turn to weigh up his options; violence was never supposed to be the answer … and yet he found himself grateful for Mokuba's rash actions and hoping to meet this Hiro Kanno some day.

"Thanks Mokie."

* * *

Rebecca had arrived at the mansion not long after Mokuba had been cleaned up, shouting abuse first at her fist-happy boyfriend, then listing the threatening things she intended to do to the boy named Hiro. Even Seto had to admit that the blonde would be dangerous when she grew up; he didn't want to get on her bad side nowadays and she was only fifteen. Gardner had left with Rebecca, having stayed with Kisara while he'd quizzed Mokuba.

"Go on, ask another."

Seto smiled lightly as he said the words and Kisara rolled her eyes, thinking of another question. They'd been in the living room for the past hour with some Christmas film on the television, not that they'd watched any of it. After Téa had left, Kisara had disappeared for a few hours and returned in much better spirits than earlier in the kitchen; all thanks to a shower and a nap, as she had happily stated. Of course she had asked about Mokuba, and of course he had lied and told her it was only teenage boys being teenage boys; she'd only feel guilty if he told her the truth. For the past hour, they'd talked the whole way through the film, with Kisara asking any questions she still had about everything and anything.

"Ummm … where's Miki's mother? I've only ever see her with Toshi."

Seto nodded his head, looking down to where earlier roles had been reversed and Kisara was using his thigh as a makeshift pillow. The young CEO had already felt his ego climb yet another step as he noted that she'd kept his hoody on. He'd already explained about Akari's talent at gymnastics, Rin's divorcing of her husband and subsequent toy-boy and of elderly Koji's graceful wife, Reika; he should have been expecting a question about Toshi. Taking a breath, he thought about how to tackle such a subject.

"Her name was Miyako and two years she was diagnosed with breast cancer. We all thought she'd pull through and it looked like it for a while; she had a mastectomy, then chemotherapy. But it turned out the cancer was more aggressive than the doctors thought ... Toshi lost her last June."

"Oh, I'm sorry … I really know how to put my foot in it."

"Just a little bit."

When she looked up, he was smiling lightly but something told Kisara maybe not to touch on that topic again. A rendition of _A Christmas Carol _was still on the screen as she scanned her mind for another question to lighten the mood. But it was Seto to find a query and unintentionally bring comedy back to the fore.

"Is that a frog?"

Such a question caused the young woman to laugh, more so when she followed Seto's confused eyes to the television screen and realised what he was talking about.

"No Seto, that would be a Muppet."

"A puppet you mean."

"No, Mr. Kaiba, I mean a Muppet. As in Kermit the frog and Miss Piggy; ringing any bells?"

When her fiancé shook his head at the strange names, Kisara began to laugh all the more; to her, such things as the Muppets were a factor of everyone's childhood. Her aunt had possessed a stash of video tapes and DVDs that she had grown up watching in the chateau.

Hearing her laughing, Seto looked down with a bemused look; she seemed completely different than earlier in the kitchen when he'd seen the tears in her eyes. Letting a smirk pull up the corners of his mouth, he brushed some white strands behind her right ear. Watching as his locket responded to gravity and swung forward, the young man blinked as a smaller hand caught it.

"Mokuba wears one too."

She wasn't asking what it was about and, if he wanted, Seto could agree with her and tuck the locket back inside his shirt and move on with another topic instead of reflecting on his past coma. But he didn't want to. Nodding his head, he placed his hand over hers and undid the small clasp on the side of the ornate Duel Monster card. The locket opened and Seto angled it so Kisara could see the picture held within. It was an image of a much-younger Mokuba than she knew, with one side of the photo seemingly torn. Half of a chess board was laid out in front of the small child and he was smiling widely; the very same smile that his teenage self flashed regularly.

"Mokuba made them when he was younger: I carry his picture and he carries mine ... that way the puzzle's always complete."

"Puzzle?"

He nodded and indicated ever so slightly to his chest. There and then, Kisara knew that Seto felt the same towards her as she did to him. She hadn't wanted to intrude, so she didn't ask about the unusual pendants … but he had told her of his own volition. She should tell him about the stranger in the garden and about Natalie too. And she would tell him, just not now. She knew he could make it all better, but maybe she didn't deserve that.

"Here."

"What are you-"

"I have a new chain and I'm afraid wearing two could damage either one. So if you mind this one, then I don't have to worry, do I?"

Kisara blinked as the simple rope-pendant was placed around her own neck and Seto explained his reckoning. She didn't want to be trusted with such a thing; having seen what was held within and the story behind the pendants, the young woman didn't trust herself to take care of the locket. Reaching a hand to her neck, Kisara shook her head quickly and made to slip the rope back over her head, giving it back.

"Seto, I'll lose it, or break it or … or …"

"Or nothing bad will happen and it'll be fine?"

His amused smile and raised eyebrows made her blush slightly; he trusted her more than she trusted herself with the locket. Nodding her head, Kisara flashed a small smile as the leased pendant was placed back around her neck. Smiling widely as the Duel Monster card rested on her chest, Kisara let her arms link around Seto's neck as he leaned his head down towards her. Michael Caine as Scrooge was rejoicing in the fact that Christmas wasn't over yet, buying a large turkey and changing his selfish ways. Kisara Ashbrook leaned upwards and returned a kiss from her fiancé, secretly proud of how she had changed her timid ways.

* * *

**A/n- Thanks a million for reading guys, and I really hope you liked it! XxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**Note 1:** Ningyo is the Japanese term for mermaids and such, like in _Ponyo_! ;-)

**Note 2: **/_SPOILERS FOR MANGA/_ Just in case some people haven't read the manga, the lockets worn by Mokuba and Seto were made by little Mokuba after the whole Death-T saga. Seto ended up in a coma due to Yugi (Atem) mind-crushing him. Whilst in the coma, Seto was tasked with re-assembling the puzzle of his heart and would only awaken when he did so. In a bid to help his brother, Mokuba tore a picture of them (playing chess at the orphanage) in half and placed them in the lockets. He kept Seto's picture and gave his image to his big brother, believing it to be the last piece of the puzzle of Seto's heart. _/SPOILERS END/_ Sorry for wasting your time if you have read the manga!

3rd Revision - 3/March/2011


	24. Preparation

**Author's Note:** Hi guys! School's now finished with, so updates _should_ be quicker ... hopefully! I'm really sorry for the long length of this chapter, but I needed to cover a few things to get the pace right again. Hope you all like it! Also, I know this chapter is thin in context, but the next few updates should pick up the pace a bit! XxxxxxX

* * *

_"Come and pick you up if I have to"_

* * *

"If that isn't cured by Saturday, I'm putting make-up on it!"

Mokuba cringed as Akari turned the dial on the dishwasher and threatened his black-eye yet again. The big launch for Seto's new tournament was to be on Saturday night and his bruised eye showed no intention of fading before then, something that irked the maid to no end.

"And another thing, I hear you're going back to the boxing club?"

Blinking as she marched back in from the utility room and stared at him, hands on her hips, Mokuba nodded his head silently. He hated when Akari got into one of her moods; she was like a dog with a bone. He braced himself as the pintsize took in a breath and let fly with her lecture.

"Well, don't even think about coming to me to clean you up when you have more cuts and another black eye. I'm telling you, boxing is a dangerous sport, Mokuba! The amount of injuries you can-"

"Like broken hips?"

Akari immediately narrowed her eyes, hands staying on her hips as she acknowledged the teenager's well-made point. She kept her death-glare in place as Mokuba winked, knowing he had won the argument. To him, going back to his boxing club was a win-win situation; he was out of practice and wanted to get back to fitness. Not that he was planning on getting into anymore fights in the future, at least outside the ring, he figured a few uppercuts could help if Hiro threw anymore insults around. And then there was the final reason; he felt like a third wheel these days. Every time Mokuba opened a door lately, he felt like he was intruding on his brother and Kisara. He wasn't complaining, but at least the boxing training would keep him in Domino a few evenings a week, and also give the lovebirds more space.

Looking up as the swinging door from the foyer opened, Mokuba smiled lightly as a few more of the maids entered, some of them yawning as they did so; it was only gone eight o'clock in the morning and the maids were just clocking in for the day and beginning work.

"Oh my _God_! What happened to you?"

Kimiko, normally the quietest of the maids, let her jaw hit the floor as she took in the teen's black eye and still-split lip; she hadn't been working since before Christmas and had missed out on the festive fight. The twenty-two year-old was still in her casual clothes of jeans and deep grey hoody as she made her way across the kitchen to have a closer look at the younger Kaiba brother. Mokuba shrugged his answer with a sheepish look.

"Akari beat me up."

"Careful what you wish for …"

The youngest maid shot him another dagger-glare as she said her piece and stalked off into the utility room, but her bad humour was undermined by the hint of a grin on her face as she left. Kimiko was still looking at him rather worriedly, but Mokuba managed to sate her nervous temperament with the good old "boys-will-be-boys-and-beat-each-other-up" speech.

Smiling at the upbeat teenager in the kitchen, Akari dragged the laundry basket closer to the washing machine and began to sort through the clothes for dark colours, letting her mind wander as she did so. The mansion would be crazy on Saturday morning; the house was always a bit hectic when functions were being held, but she reckoned it would be twice as bad come Saturday. Flinging yet another red-coloured Liverpool jersey into the machine, she wondered what the style would be like. She was a fashion junkie if truth be told and keeping tabs on all the dresses worn to these events was one of Akari's favourite pastimes.

There was no doubt that the function on Saturday night would draw as much attention, if not more, than SchroederCorp's launch all those weeks ago. KaibaCorp hadn't hosted such a large-scare event since the KC Grand Prix over three years ago. The launch to that had been a simple press-covered event that she had watched on television from her hospital room, having managed to botch-up a basic set of back-flips on the balance beam … one foot wrong and she had come down hard on the beam, her right hip taking the brunt of the fall and fracturing in two places. What annoyed Akari the most was that the fall had been on national television and, had she managed a dismount, she would have had a guaranteed spot on the Japanese Olympics squad. Still, working in the Kaiba mansion wasn't all that bad; she had her friends, she had her boyfriend, a high wage and the house provided amusement with Mokuba and Kai.

Blinking herself back to the present, the pintsize directed her thoughts away from her accident and back to the launch at the weekend; Isamu had told her that Mr. Kaiba was too preoccupied with a certain German saboteur during the KC Grand Prix to bother inviting his girlfriend at the time … some high-profile singer. Aki had mentioned the mansion being much quieter those three years ago; the maids had kept their heads down and their noses out of trouble. In her opinion, things seemed much more livelier this time around; already there was chatter amongst the maids about which dress would be worn, the speculation on which extravagant piece of jewellery would be chosen, not to mention the hairstyle. Ms. Ashbrook seemed to breathe some excitement back into the mansion.

Glancing at her watch, the petite maid grabbed another armful of dirty laundry and piled it into the machine. Being careful not hit her finger on the door of the washing machine, she eyed her newest piece of jewellery. Isamu had surprised her on Christmas morning with the ruby-set golden ring. Even her mother had admired the present, despite not being Isamu's biggest fan. She had introduced her new man to her parents for the first time on Christmas day, something the young maid had been dreading for weeks; her parents weren't all that fond of the five-year age-gap when she'd told them over the phone. That said, the Hayashi parents had become big Isamu fans after meeting him and getting to know her boyfriend. The three days spent in Kanagawa prefecture had been perfect in her opinion; not only had her parents approved of Isamu, but so had her little brothers … all four of the little devils.

"Hey, have you seen Kaoru?"

Jumping at the unexpected voice, Akari spun on the spot. Naoki was standing in the doorway, the older maid looking confused. Over the last few weeks, all of the maids had learned that she was just a little bit more knowledgeable about KaibaCorp happenings than them; all thanks to Isamu of course. As a result, Akari found herself being exploited as the Google of the mansion; any and all questions were sent her way.

"Nope, doesn't she usually clock-in before us?"

Kaoru was the eldest of all the maids, just about ready to turn sixty and served as the mansion's housekeeper, in charge of all the maids. The older woman was the one to write up the roster of working hours for all the other maids and assign tasks. She had started off as a junior maid for the Kaiba family when Gozaburo had been a young man; something she found the need to announce at least one a week.

Turning around from the washing machine, Akari raised her eyebrows in question; Naoki was still looking rather confused. The middle-aged woman nodded her head, but there was still uncertainty in her eyes.

"She does, but none of us have seen her and her jacket isn't on the rack in the end room either."

The end room on the ground floor was for the maids; it was a large bedroom with an adjoining en-suite bathroom. The maids used the room to store their casual clothes and to take breaks. Still, if Kaoru's clothes weren't in the end room, then it simply meant that the chief maid just wasn't in work today, as odd as it was.

"She's probably just sick, Naoki."

* * *

And the corporate world came rushing back to him with a thunderous roar of demand, almost as though annoyed he'd spent so long neglecting it. As the door of his mostly re-built office closed for the umpteenth time that morning, Seto exhaled a sigh of mixed origin; he was frustrated, slightly tired, quickly growing annoyed with the interns running and their endless questions, but he was undoubtedly in his element.

Christmas had been two days ago, with only four more to pass before the launch of the new dueling tournament. It just so happened that the function was falling on New Year's Eve; why he hadn't noticed the date before now was a mystery to him. With only another mere ninety-six hours left to prepare, KaibaCorp was buzzing with action; he had already set the budget straight for the event, along with notching up the advertising campaign a final degree before the actual night. Rin was dealing with most of the smaller-scale things, such as catering and whatnot, with him taking care of the larger things; the picking-up of the guests by his limo fleet, the preparation of the large function room at KaibaLand's smaller skyscraper, the flight plans of his more important guests had also landed on his desk for some ungodly reason. The major contenders, such as Pegasus, were due in Domino tomorrow or the day after to prepare for the tournament.

Still, the young man stifled a yawn as he pulled his laptop towards him and set to work on the numberless e-mails the company had received over the last few days. His fingers raced over the keyboard, having memorised the monotonous keys a long time ago. Dealing with one thing after another in such an ordered way was bliss to Seto as his mind focused on things in chronological order; after all the uncertainty he'd felt about his own personal life in the last few weeks, the un-complicated list of work to be done was more like a vacation to him.

But that didn't stop his mind from taking up its newest habit of wandering … all the way back to his personal life as his fingers continued to type on autopilot.

Uncertainty _had_ plagued him for weeks, but yet the young CEO noticed that his shoulders felt somewhat lighter these past two days. Maybe it was because he had accepted he was in over his head and decided to stay there, or maybe it was because he was only wearing one item around his neck, and it wasn't a tie. He had never parted with his locket before and felt strangely reassured that Kisara now wore it, so much so that he wasn't counting down the hours until he returned to the mansion like he usually did. Seto didn't notice his fingers slowing their typing as his mind continued working double-time.

He hadn't always been in such a rush to get back to the mansion, even after Kisara had arrived in Japan … but something had made worried enough to rush through work and make sure she was okay. His fingers stopped typing at that thought; there was something he was missing.

_Make sure she was okay_ … The earthquake, that was what had changed.

When the clothes rail had toppled in the store, and then the strange urge to get her back to the mansion and as far away from KaibaCorp as he could. Seto chewed the inside of his cheek for a few seconds; he had never been one to believe in magic per se, but he couldn't out-rightly deny what he'd seen over the years by proxy of Yugi and his gang. Thinking of the lockets Mokuba had made, Seto acknowledged not that they held some sort of magic, but that they were a type of good-luck charm. The reasoning had sounded a lot better in his head …

Still, the lockets must have possessed some kind of effect after all; he _had_ woken from his coma and nothing bad had happened since then. Well, when he said _bad_, Seto tactfully skimmed over the part of his memory that included Pegasus kidnapping his little brother and attempting a hostile takeover of KaibaCorp - but it had all ended well enough. Then there had been showdown number one with the idiots he had fired, then Rare Hunters had terrorised his Battle City tournament, Marik Ishtar and his Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde episode, a Jerry Springer worthy family spat between all the Ishtars on-board his blimp, Wheeler ending up in a coma, and the whole virtual world saga; showdown number two with the same five idiots, who had called themselves the Big Five - no doubt due to their egos. There had also been that Noah brat and then _him_.

At the thought of that man, Seto's trip down memory lane picked up some momentum and automatically moved on; after that had been Dartz; another attempt at a hostile takeover of his company. Then the KC Grand Prix and all of Schroeder's meddling had ensued, and finally all the trouble in Egypt and its resulting duel. Yeah … no bad stuff had happened at all. That said, KaibaCorp was still his, despite every other nutcase trying to swipe it from him. Through it all nobody had died, unless the whole pharaoh thing counted as suicide of some sort of Yugi's part.

Shaking his head, Seto re-organised his thoughts; he _had_ been heading towards a point before confusing himself. He was alive, all of Yugi's little friends were alive and so was Mokuba. So maybe the locket wasn't interred with some air of protection, but it made him feel less anxious knowing that Kisara was wearing it when he wasn't around.

A short yet sharp knock on his office door jolted Seto's thoughts back to the present, and back to his work-cluttered desk. Such a short knock mean one and only one person stood behind the door.

"Come in, Rin."

Barely waiting for him to answer, Rin had already let herself into the office and headed straight for her employer's desk; any other employee would have hesitated and lingered at the door until he told them to approach. The portly woman swept a rebellious black fringe out of her eyes as she stood still.

"The flight plans for Ms. Wong, as you requested, sir. Also, Mrs. Akiyama wishes to speak with you; she's waiting outside in the hallway."

Taking the sheets of paper from his secretary and scanning an eye down Vivian Wong's arrival time in Domino, midday tomorrow, Seto frowned and looked up.

"Kaoru Akiyama?"

Rin nodded her head, the same short nod that matched her knock at the door. If his memory served him correctly, Kaoru should have been at the mansion this morning, not at KaibaCorp.

"Let her in Rin, thanks."

Nodding her head and giving a characteristically shallow bow, Rin made her way to the door and exited the large office. A few seconds later, the heavy door opened again and in walked the familiar figure of his housekeeper. It was only as the aged woman made her way across the office and sat in a cushioned chair to the fore of his desk that Seto noticed her age for the first time; he could well remember the kindly woman being one of the few staff to look out for him and Mokuba when they'd been adopted. She had often kept Mokuba busy when he had been forced to study for hours on end. Once, he could even recall her intervening in one of those study sessions, sending his tutor running with his tail between his legs.

Curtailing another trip down memory lane, Seto focused his attention back to the friendly maid.

"Is everything alright, Kaoru?"

The elder woman nodded her head, her hazel eyes genuinely happy, but her words failed her when she made to talk. Taking another breath and a few seconds of liberty to organise her thoughts, the chief maid smiled and sighed.

"It's taken me almost a month to do this, sir, but I'm afraid I have to hand in my resignation."

Taken aback by the seemingly sucker-punch, the young CEO faltered. Taking a confused second to process the words, Seto furrowed his eyebrows and locked eyes with the woman who had stood up for him those years ago.

"Kaoru, if there's something wrong, you know you can ask-"

"No, nothing is wrong my dear boy. I've worked in the mansion for over forty years now, and it feels right to resign right now. My husband and I bought a lovely little house on Okinawa island and we're planning to move there permanently."

Resting his chin atop his hands, Seto studied the woman and then nodded his head with an accepting smile. Her husband was a landscaper and Kaoru loved watching the mansion's garden come into bloom; no doubt the couple would enjoy the picturesque island.

"Do you need to leave immediately, or can I ask you to work some notice?"

"We're not moving until the new year, so I can only work until then, sir."

Nodding his head again, Seto made a mental note to ring the maid agency and find a replacement. That said, he doubted hiring another housekeeper would be a good idea; maybe a junior maid and then promote one of the mansion's more experienced maids to housekeeper would work better. Looking up as Kaoru made to leave the office, Seto posed the question to the kindly woman.

"Before you go, Kaoru, which maid should be promoted in your opinion?"

She would have a better knowledge of the females than he would, and which one would be best suited to the job. Probably Naoki or the older Yumi; someone with experience. A light laugh from Kaoru announced her answer as the woman swept black strands behind her ear.

"Truthfully, sir, I would suggest little Akari."

That was one name he wasn't expecting to be mentioned. As-in the pintsize who loved her chats and giggling sessions? Akari as a housekeeper? In charge of all the other maids? The notion just wouldn't present itself without some form of disaster engulfing the mansion. His silence must have said a lot, for Kaoru laughed again and nodded her head.

"I'm not joking, sir; have you seen her when the girls fall behind in their tasks? She's scary. I think I'll go now and let you get ready for your meeting; young Toshi is waiting downstairs in the lobby."

Politely chuckling at his aghast face, Kaoru bowed lightly and took her leave of the large office. Still somewhat stunned by her suggestion of a replacement, Seto shook his head with a small smile. He'd miss Kaoru from the mansion; she had been there as long as he could remember. Looking up as his office door opened yet again, he raised an eyebrow at Rin.

"Should I send the stock-holders up, sir?"

"Yes, just bring them to the board room down the hall instead; I'll be there in a minute."

Nodding her head, the short woman spun on her heel and exited the room. Looking down to his desk and standing at the same time, Seto Kaiba gathered what papers he needed for this meeting with the same officials who had visited his home not so long ago, including Toshi and old Koji. Picking up the flight plans for Vivian Wong, Seto made sure to memorise the landing time in Japan and tucked the pages into a drawer; would he sound too much like Mokuba if he said he had a plan?

* * *

"Do I really need to wear a tux, guys?"

"_Yes_!"

The harsh reply came not only from Mai, but from Téa and Rebecca aswell. Kisara giggled lightly as Joey Wheeler looked to his male friends with a beseeching look in his eyes; he really wasn't one for formal wear. With only another four days to go until the launch for the new dueling tournament, Téa had decided that everyone's attire should be arranged today. The boys were to disappear for an hour or two and get measured for tuxedos. In the meantime, the girls were going shopping; primarily for a formal dress, but then shoes would have to follow, and then if there was a nice pair of jeans in a shop window they'd have to stop and take a look …

Watching as Joey surrendered and flashed a smile at the giggling Kisara, Téa let loose a sigh of relief. Despite his initial uncertainty about her and whatever had happened three years ago, Joey had really gotten used to Kisara. The dancer chalked it down to their little chat after the SchroederCorp opening, when he'd spotted the magazine she'd been reading.

Hopping off her stool behind the desk, which she'd pilfered from Téa, Rebecca started shoving all the males towards the door; the youngster was going to the launch and participating in the tournament, and it seemed as though the excitement was overlooking her usual maturity and showing her true age.

"C'mon guys, you'll be late!"

"Oh yeah, and why isn't _your_ other half getting measured too?"

Kisara smiled as the black-haired dice-boy, whom Seto had named as Duke Devlin when she had asked, looked down his nose at Rebecca, tanned arms folded across his chest as he questioned her.

"Because he has more tuxes than he has school shirts, now _go_!"

Laughing as Duke retaliated with a stuck-out tongue, Rebecca managed to push the boys out of the shop with a stuck-out tongue of her own. Skipping back to the front desk, the blonde reclaimed Téa's stool with a satisfied smile.

"Shall we start then, ladies?"

A question and wink from Mai was the cue to begin their shopping trip. Looking out the window as Téa went to find Yugi's grandfather, Kisara felt yet another shiver run up and down the length of her spine. She hadn't slept well since Christmas Eve, with the same jumbled dream visiting every night and the ever-present sense of being watched. Waving away the feeling for the umpteenth time, the young woman blamed her paranoia on lack of sleep.

As a few pedestrians passed by the window of the gaming shop, Kisara was grateful for her fleecy hoody; the snow had stopped falling and, although Domino city was finally beginning to thaw, the weather was still bitterly cold.

"Now don't spend too much girls!"

The short figure of Solomon Muto appeared behind the front desk and cheerily waved the young women off, knowing that his words would not be heeded. With a laugh of sorts, all four of the females departed the small gaming shop, leaving the old man to estimate exactly how many shopping bags would return with them.

* * *

"I guess we better start looking for dresses now, huh?"

A laugh followed Téa's words; they'd just spent two hours perusing through Domino's clothing stores without even thinking about dresses yet. It was shoes and what Mai called "going-out" clothes that had been purchased instead of gowns. In addition to the purchased clothes, Mai had also announced that all the girls _had_ to hit the town soon, a comment that caused Rebecca to pout; it would be a few years yet before the youngster could legally enter a nightclub.

"Where to, hun?"

Kisara shrugged her shoulders as she took one of Téa's many shopping bags; the brunette was struggling to keep her balance as it was. Turning around to see Mai scanning the shops ahead of them and then investigating what funds remained in her purse, Kisara hid a smile. Over the course of the day, the young French woman had come to find that she quite liked Mai Valentine; the blonde was confident and took no nonsense from anyone, but she was fun to be around and had an excellent eye for fashion. Mai just seemed to have a knack for making people smile and laugh, helped out by her winks and over-use of "hun".

Just as she had been feeling one of the gang, Rebecca had seen fit to inform her that she still had to meet one more girl to know the whole group; a youngster by the name of Serenity, Joey Wheeler's younger sister, but Téa had assured her that the girl was friendly.

"I say we go to Tanaka's!"

The name suggested by Rebecca was familiar to her, but Kisara had no time to question the sense of déjà vu. Whipping her head around to look down the street behind her, she tried to slow her spooked breathing rate; the feeling of being followed was back yet again. Scanning the bustling street, Kisara couldn't find those vacant eyes, but she knew they were there, just as they had been all day. Dismissing the niggling feeling, she turned around only to find Téa staring at her with a worried look.

"What's wrong?"

Rebecca and Mai had walked ahead up the street, glancing in a few shop windows as they went, despite their depleted budgets. Shrugging her shoulders, Kisara flashed a smile at her friend; there was nothing wrong … nothing tangible anyway.

"Nothing, I just thought I recognised someone-"

"You're lying … you always brush your hair behind your ear when you're lying …"

The sing-song voice cut her off, with Téa sporting an amused smile. Taking note of where her right hand was sweeping a few strands behind her ear, Kisara was caught off-guard by the idiosyncrasy and let a laugh surface. She had never noticed the habit before and it surprised her that her friend had. Smiling as Téa linked arms with her, the young French woman began to walk slowly beside the ballerina, just as they had at the museum a few days ago. Passing by a café, it was Téa to break the silence.

"So, you gonna tell me what has you so jumpy?"

The older girl shrugged again; how did she explain what had her on edge when she didn't full understand it? Just come out and tell Téa that she was seeing someone who wasn't even there and be considered a loony? That said, she doubted that Téa would think that way. Still, a tall and tanned man with blue eyes was following her; that didn't even sound plausible in her own mind. And it was his eyes that convinced Kisara she was seeing things. There hadn't been any sparkle in them at all; they had been unnervingly blank. It was for that reason she thought the man a figment of her imagination, caused by all the Duel Monster adverts on the television.

"I just haven't been sleeping well is all. I think I've watched a few too many duels on-line; if I see another Blue-Eyes White Dragon in my dreams, I'll cry!"

Despite laughing along with Kisara, Téa felt her breath hitch in her throat; maybe it was just a coincidence that Kisara had seen that particular monster. It was a rational excuse; Seto was her fiancé and had taught her the basics of dueling, so obviously Kisara had seen his Blue-Eyes cards, which could be the stem of the dreams. But that visit to the museum was beginning to poke her guilty conscience back into life. Upon returning from Egypt and its fateful duel three years ago, Yugi had told her of the Blue-Eyes' origin, which he'd seen via Pharaoh Atem. She had learned the tragic fate of the girl they had seen being stoned, something the ballerina hadn't told Joey or Tristan.

Side-stepping an icy patch on the pavement, Téa decided to venture a little further, her face giving nothing away as she did so; a friendly smile and amused tone of voice were her guilty weapons of choice.

"And this is only happening since Seto taught you how to duel?"

"No, since Christmas Eve, I think it's probably because of the new tournament; everywhere I turn there are Duel Monsters!"

Laughing again, Téa felt her stomach drop; they had visited the museum on Christmas Eve. Still, it could be all because of the new tournament, just as Kisara stated, though the dancer doubted it as her guilt seemed to double.

"C'mon guys!"

Rebecca and Mai had stopped up ahead, having found the shop they were looking for. It was the younger blonde to shout at them and wave her hand; Rebecca seemed to be hyper about the upcoming function. Pushing her guilt to the back of her mind, Téa smiled and quickened her pace, arms still linked with Kisara as they entered the door of Tanaka's Female Formal Wear.

Still wondering why the name seemed so familiar to her, Kisara let her eyes wander as the they crossed the threshold. The large shop was split into two; one side flaunted colourful Kimono with the opposite displaying modern cocktail dresses and full-length gowns. There were a few other women browsing through the store as the four newcomers glanced about.

"First things first; we need to make sure we don't all pick the same colour!"

Kisara let a smile surface at Mai's words; that would definitely be a sight to behold on the red carpet come Saturday night if they all matched. Sitting down on one of the many comfortable chairs, Kisara watched as Rebecca took interest in a turquoise dress before moving onto a deep indigo behind it.

"Not looking?"

She shook her head at Tea's words; she had plenty of dresses back at the mansion and a pastel-pink one had caught her eye a few days ago. If she could just root out a pair of shoes to compliment the gown, then she'd be sorted.

"No, I have a nice pink one back at the mansion that I think I'll wear."

"Hear that, Bec? Pink's already been called, hun!"

As Mai looked over a rail of purple gowns at the teenager, Rebecca hastily moved away from some pink dresses next to her. A laugh from Téa was interrupted by the arrival of a middle-aged woman.

"Can I help you, ladies?"

The striking green eyes of the woman immediately told Kisara why the name Tanaka had been so familiar to her, along with the small baby in the woman's arms. Miyuki had grown quite a lot in the two weeks since Kisara had first seen the newborn.

As the brunette of the group nodded her head in an answer, Emiko scanned over the accompanying three girls, her eyes coming to rest on two rather familiar faces, a smile immediately surfacing as she recognised the timid young woman and the bubbly girlfriend of Mokuba. Nodding her head, Emiko shifted Miyuki in the cradle of her arms and beamed her confident smile.

"Nice to see you again, Kisara."

"H-hi Emiko."

The stutter didn't go unnoticed by Téa, who began to search through another rail of dresses, drawing attention back to the task at hand. Emiko's store had quite the collection of dresses, and was well-known throughout Domino as a must-go for formal wear, be it traditional or modern. The brunette knew that Emiko Tanaka was the wife of KaibaCorp's Roland, but silently wondered how Kisara knew the sometimes-intimidating woman.

"Any styles in mind, ladies?"

"Not really, Emiko, just something to get us through the KaibaCorp function on Saturday night … awwww, she's gorgeous."

It was Rebecca to answer, her attention trailing off as she caught sight of the little baby in the shop-owner's arms. Mokuba had told her that Roland and Emiko had had a little girl and about Seto being made godfather, but she hadn't seen the infant until today. Emiko smiled proudly and nodded her head in response to the young blonde.

"Only when she's asleep, Rebecca."

Almost as if on cue, the small bundle began to stir in her mother's arms. Used to motherhood, Emiko merely bounced her arms up and down a few times until her daughter had drifted off to sleep once more. The bright green irises looked to the four young women again.

"Any preferred colours then, girls?"

"Anything but pink 'cause that's already been called, hasn't it Kisara, hun?"

A wink from Mai earned a laugh and a nod from the French girl. Looking about her own store, knowing exactly which dresses were on display where, Emiko hid a small smile; Kisara seemed somewhat less timid today and she needed both hands free to help find dresses ...

"If you could just hold her for a few minutes again; just like the last time. See, she's taken a shine to you!"

Blinking, Kisara found herself dumbfounded yet again as Emiko happily walked over to a nearby rail of gowns, both of her hands free. Looking downwards, she couldn't help but smile at the tiny infant, despite being thrown in at the deep end yet again. Call it suspicion, but Kisara felt as though Emiko was somewhat of a plotter, just like Rebecca and Mokuba. Unsure what to do as Miyuki stirred again, her tiny hands fisting, Kisara copied Emiko and bounced her arms up and down lightly, speaking lowly as the baby girl yawned.

"Hi there, Miyuki."

Téa smiled as she heard her friend's quiet voice and watched as she quietened the baby in a few seconds. It surprised her that Kisara knew the infant's name, a silent question that was soon answered by the smiling heiress.

"She's Seto's goddaughter."

So that was how she knew Emiko's name aswell. Call her biased or prejudiced, but Téa never would have pinned Seto Kaiba as such good friends with Roland. Then again, she had once thought it impossible to see him smile without Mokuba at his side. Looking at Kisara, Téa accepted that she had been wrong about Kaiba and how he would fare as a fiancé.

And there was that smile again, the one she kept hidden. Drowning out the sound of Rebecca choosing a dress, Téa watched Kisara; she seemed totally different from the shy newcomer of three months ago. That girl would have never come out on a shopping trip or sat so calmly holding a newborn baby either … or smiled that way. It was the same smile she wore around Kaiba and Téa felt happy to see it when the CEO wasn't around.

"Guys, whattya think?"

Both Téa and Kisara glanced up as Rebecca called; Emiko had sorted out a dress for her already. The colour was a lighter shade of turquoise than the first dress to catch the teenager's eye, but the dress a much different style; the fitted bodice and thin halter-neck straps made the blonde appear older than her age.

"It's lovely, Rebecca!"

"Really brings your eyes out."

Emiko nodded her head as she kneeled and began to pin up the trailing hem of the dress, having already pinned the bodice to fit the teen. Both comments, first from Téa and then from Kisara made the youngster blush as she turned and looked at herself in the angled mirrors; Ayane Mitsuru had nothing on her in this dress!

* * *

Another hour passed before Mai and Téa had been also been fitted into their dresses; a deep burgundy for the latter and a shimmering violet for Mai. Miyuki had woken up just as Mai was being fitted, which prevented Emiko from reclaiming her daughter for fear of sticking Mai with a pin. Instead the woman had shouted for someone called Daiki to bring a bottle. Within a few minutes a small boy, about the same age as Toshi's little Miki, had barrelled his way down the stairs of the store and, cheeks flushed red and breathing heavily, presented Kisara with a warm bottle of milk.

The boy had then turned to leave, but was stopped by his mother, who had noticed the panting and red cheeks. The excuse from the youngster had garnered laughs from all of the females, including the two women at the store's front desk; his brother, Taku, had stolen his Hollow Mask and he _had_ to get it back because his brother was a Shinigami and was going to send him to Hueco Mundo if he didn't. Apparently Santa Claus had outdone himself with Bleach-esque presents for the duo.

With muffled instructions from Emiko, hindered by a mouthful of pins, Kisara had somehow managed to bottle-feed Miyuki and wind her aswell, all without the scourge of baby sick, something Emiko praised once she had finished with Mai's dress.

With the three dresses taken care of and to be collected the next day, the young women decidedly headed back towards the Muto gaming shop, Mai having been plagued by calls from Joey as to where they were and why they were taking so long and if he _really_ had to wear a tux.

"At least it stopped snowing …"

Rebecca was the one to make the observation as she looked up to the dark sky; it was approaching six in the evening and the watery sun had long since finished its shift and handed over to the moon and stars, bringing the low temperature even further down the scale.

"But it's still freezing!"

Mai just about caught herself as she stepped on an icy patch of pavement; the cold weather would last for another few weeks before spring set in. The streets of Domino were crowded at this time of evening, with work ending and the rush to get home beginning, even KaibaCorp would be emptying. Another near-slip on the ice, this time courtesy of Téa, earned a few giggles from her friends as they walked further up the street, the festive lights still giving the city an air of Christmas.

The giggling and laughing subsided as the four young women passed a small group of suited individuals, probably just finishing their office jobs. The few people were gathered in a hushed group, each one speaking lowly and a women crouching down and talking in a friendly voice. Slowing down as they passed, Kisara heard a familiar voice and pulled a little closer to the group of men and women. Noticing this, Rebecca, Mai and Téa stopped their walking and also pulled closer, unsure of what was happening.

"Miki?"

The small girl garnering all the attention immediately looked up at her name, knowing the voice. In a matter of seconds, Miki had run from the centre of the suited individuals and behind Kisara's leg, just like she did with her father. Looking down, Kisara smiled at the five-year-old, now poignantly aware of what had become of the child's mother.

"Why are you out here on the streets, honey?"

"I got lost … and I … couldn't find my way back!"

The small voice was interrupted by sobs as tears trailed down Miki's cheeks, her small hands gripping onto the belt of Kisara's jeans. The woman who had been bent down to the child's level and speaking to her now stood up, smiling a she did so. The woman was probably in her mid-thirties and blinked with surprise as she recognised the young women the child had run to; there wasn't a person in Domino who wouldn't recognise the young European at this stage.

"I tried to ask her where her mother was, but she just kept crying."

Kisara hid a small cringe as she nodded her head; that was almost as bad as her asking Seto the same question. Lifting the light little girl up onto her hip, she nodded her head, cheeks decidedly blushing red as she spoke to these strangers.

"I-it's alright … we'll f-find daddy, won't we, Miki?"

"He's … at KaibaCorp …"

Hiccupping her way through the tears, Miki hid her face in Kisara's shoulder. The group of office-workers then took their leave, the woman smiling as she left. It was only as the strangers disappeared that Kisara noticed Téa and Mai to be looking at her rather confused as Rebecca walked a little closer; she knew the little girl to see her, but the child was usually attached to her father's leg. Aware of how strange she must look, randomly collecting children, Kisara offered an excuse.

"She's Toshi Fujiwara's daughter; he's a good friend of Seto's."

"Oh …"

Téa nodded her head, a sad look entering her blue eyes; most of Domino had heard of Fujiwara Pharmaceuticals and of the sad bereavement of its owner. The first anniversary of his wife's death had been in June, earlier in the year. But Téa also noticed how easily her friend had lifted the little girl and calmed her down.

"I think I'll bring her back to KaibaCorp before the whole security team is sent out."

Kisara knew that there was to be a stock-holder's meeting today, in preparation for the function on Saturday night, and that Toshi had probably been playing businessman and daddy. If she cut across the next street and hung a left, she'd be at the KaibaCorp building in maybe ten minutes, but it sent her in the opposite direction to the Muto's store. Reaching for her abandoned shopping bags, Kisara blinked as Mai took them with a sincere smile.

"You go with the little one, hun, and we'll take these back to the store. Drop by tomorrow and we'll discuss our night out on the dance floor!"

Another wink from Mai earned a smile from the young woman; the busty blonde wasn't dropping her nightclub plan at all. With a "_see you later_!" from Rebecca and a quick hug from Téa, Kisara set off in the opposite direction than her friends, hoping her bearings were correct. Cutting across the next street and a bit more walking later, she had found the steps up to the KaibaCorp lobby; it was a good thing the shops were so close to the business district in Domino or she would have never found her way.

"Where's Kai?"

Kisara shifted Miki a little higher on her hip and smiled as she answered the quiet question from the five-year-old; Miki had played non-stop with the husky during her visit to the mansion those few weeks ago.

"She's at home right now, sweetie, but you can play with her the next time daddy brings you with him, how about that?"

Miki immediately began to nod her head with a bright smile. Returning the smile, Kisara began walking up the steps to the lobby doors, watching out for treacherous ice as she went. Entering through the glass-panelled doors of the main lobby, the young woman glanced around; due to the date and closeness of the new tournament, there had been a large amount of staff at KaibaCorp earlier when Kosuke had dropped her off, but it was almost empty now. No doubt the many people had headed home for the night. Looking around for a way to contact Toshi or Seto, Kisara reckoned that the receptionist was too busy answering the phone to be of much help, and she didn't trust herself not to get lost in the skyscraper. Thankfully, a suited individual entered the lobby from a side-corridor and Kisara was pleased to see a somewhat familiar face, hoping she had the correct name.

"I-Isamu?"

The young man immediately looked around at his name, having been listening to some reports on his earwig. The second-in-command of the security team let a small smile of relief show before walking closer, pulling out a small black mobile phone and speaking into it lowly. Hanging up, Akari's boyfriend smiled at the guilty-looking little Miki.

"You gave your daddy quite the scare, Miki."

Miki's answer was to simply hide her face in Kisara's shoulder. It was only a few minutes' wait until one of the lifts opened and two men exited. The relief seen on Isamu's face was nothing compared to the look Toshi sported as he exited the elevator and saw his little girl. Isamu bowed lightly and exited the lobby as Toshi approached, followed closely by Seto.

"Daddy!"

Instead of asking to be lowered, Miki merely reached from Kisara to her father and instead buried her face in his shoulder. Toshi's deep hazel eyes then looked to her, gratitude more than evident within them.

"Thank you so much, Kisara …"

"She just got turned around and we were walking by and saw her."

The blush that claimed her cheeks wasn't as bright as usual and Seto noticed that his fiancée didn't stutter either, even when Toshi referred to her by name; the man usually was polite and used his honorifics to a fault, but was understandably more preoccupied with his daughter to think of such things.

Lifting her head, Miki looked to Kisara and let loose a small smile as she pointed at the necklace around the young woman's neck; the child hadn't seen it when she had visited the mansion and curiosity was never withheld at such a young age.

"That's new ... where did you get it?"

Caught off-guard, Kisara glanced down at Seto's pendant, her cheeks now painfully ablaze as she noticed Toshi looking at the borrowed pendant too. Light hands on her waist and a solid frame behind her dismissed the blush in a second as Seto took the initiative to answer.

"Santa brought it."

* * *

**A/n- Thanks a million for battling your ways through this long-haul of a chapter and I really hope you liked it! XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

2nd Revision - 3/March/2011


	25. Surprise

**Author's Note:** Hi guys! Sorry for the wait between updates; I really wasn't expecting to get so many hours in work this summer! This is another long-haul chapter and I really hope you all like it! Also, updates might be a bit slow (nothing new there) in the next few weeks as I'm getting my exam results this week and (hopefully) going to university ... hopefully. Anyways, there's a slight cliff-hanger at the very end, but nothing too annoying, I promise! XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

* * *

"_I talk about you now and go a day without crying_"

* * *

"_Air Nippon flight B49C8 to gate thirty-two_."

As the announcement echoed over the public-address system a second time, Vivian Wong watched as people stood from their seats and made for the mentioned gate. Taking a few seconds of liberty to study the bustling crowd, she noticed several duelists to be among them; each with a deck visible on his or her belt. No doubt these were amateurs heading to Japan for the new tournament, maybe a few them were talented enough to participate in the earlier rounds, but the majority would be aspiring spectators. Judging from their differing appearances, many of the duelists were internationals who had caught connecting flights. She supposed she was lucky in that aspect, living just across the sea from Japan, but she wasn't a fan of the four-hour flight.

Heaving a sigh, the young woman lifted herself from the uncomfortable metal chair and, shouldering her handbag, headed for gate thirty-two. Why could her flight never board from a gate one? She'd never even seen a gate one in an airport. Still, Vivian walked along at an unhurried pace and let her eyes scan the various shop windows; over-priced souvenirs, sunglasses and duty-free cigarettes; the staples of any airport across the world.

The boarding gate already had a long line of people queuing by the time she arrived. Beijing Capital International Airport was known as the third busiest airport in the world, and it was certainly living up to its name today. Fishing around in her large handbag, Vivian reclaimed her boarding pass; the queue was moving along at a nice pace and she was nearing the perky young girl at the gate's opening. With a quick smile from the rushed girl and a customary "_enjoy your flight_", Vivian was on her way down the echoing tunnel and towards the plane.

As the pretty air hostess led her to her first class seat, Vivian was sure she would enjoy her flight; it was her arrival in Japan that had the young woman on edge. Fastening her seatbelt and kicking her handbag to one side, the twenty-four year-old busied herself with her Blackberry; it would take about twenty minutes for the economy class passengers to board.

As an attractive young man sidled into the compartmented seat opposite hers, flashing a handsome smile, Vivian reckoned she should be grateful to Seto Kaiba; he was the one organising and paying for this flight. If Concorde was still flying, she had no doubt that the company owner would have arranged a flight on the luxurious supersonic airliner; it could always be said that he took good care of guests.

But she didn't feel any gratitude for KaibaCorp's owner. Had it been three years ago, during the KC Grand Prix, Vivian knew she would have been on the phone every day, calling the CEO and thanking him over and over and maybe even dropping hints about going out for dinner sometime. Typing in the password for her e-mail account, she acknowledged the contempt she felt for the young man.

It may have been three years since she'd seen or heard of Kisara, but Vivian still felt protective over the younger girl, and Seto Kaiba had better be looking after her, or she'd deal with him. She found herself hoping that Kaiba had changed since the last time they'd met; the CEO had had one serious attitude problem when she had been fawning over him. Vivian didn't mind the cold rebuttal from Kaiba, she liked a challenge, but Kisara would merely shy away from him all the more.

Automatically, Vivian let her fingers press a few more buttons, moving from her internet browser to her picture files. She smiled lightly as Kisara smiled back from the screen of the Blackberry, both of them atop the Great Wall almost four years ago. Kisara had been little more than a scared sixteen-year-old when she'd arrived in Beijing, but a chance run-in had brought the French girl under her wing. She had become good friends with the European and shown the heiress the ropes; shopping in crowded streets, watching out for pickpockets, finding the best nightclubs and how to battle angry hangovers into oblivion. Kisara had lived with her for just over a year and Vivian felt proud of how much the girl had grown in that space of time; she wasn't all that shy once she got to know a person. Vivian was responsible for Kisara's nights on the dance floor, the youth's slyer side and even for the tattoo on the younger girl's lower back.

"_This is your captain speaking _…"

Looking up at the sound, Vivian switched her Blackberry off and banished it to the depths of her handbag. She was committed to this now; she would travel to Japan and see her friend for the first time in three years, and make sure her fiancé was looking out for her. She would also try to salvage what was left of their friendship, hopefully without the interfering hand of Jonathon Ashbrook. That man had quite a lot to answer for in her opinion; his niece's shy nature, Kisara's banishment from France and for taking her best friend from her.

* * *

"I think I might have done something bad …"

Téa waited for Yugi to reappear from the house section of the store, her words heavy with guilt. She'd tossed and turned all night, trying to decide what to do and had finally decided to tell someone else. Walking out from the nearby kitchen and into the shop, Yugi placed a mug of coffee in front of his girlfriend and raised an eyebrow.

"Like what?"

Sitting behind the front desk, Téa dropped her gaze back down to the magazine on the counter; the pages were covered in another colourful montage showing Japan's hottest couple at the moment.

"Like possibly accidentally making Kisara remember stuff. She told me she's been seeing the Blue-Eyes in her dreams …"

"How could you have caused that? We live in Domino; there are Duel Monsters everywhere, don't be blaming yourself."

Studying a picture of Kaiba and Kisara at the Christmas market, Téa felt guilt dragging her stomach even lower. They looked quite cosy in that picture, like they'd been together for ages … then again five thousand years _was_ a long time. What if things were supposed to replay themselves and she was the instigator of it all? And why did Yugi always believe the best of her?

"But I did cause it … I brought her to the museum on Christmas Eve and we ended up in the Egyptian exhibit and the stone stela was there and so was Ishizu and Kisara told me she's only been having the dreams since then and-"

Téa was stopped mid-rant as Yugi placed a hand over her babbling mouth, his eyes still kind and understanding as he stood on the opposite side of the front counter.

"Calm down … now, why did you take her to the museum?"

He asked the question with a light smile; her boyfriend wasn't angry, but he did keep his eyes locked with hers and prevented her from looking back down at the magazine.

"She wanted to take a look inside, so I thought it'd be better if I showed her around instead of letting her wander. I tried to steer clear of the Egyptian exhibit but we ended up there anyways, and Ishizu was there too."

At that blurted out run-down of events, Téa took a breath and, not wanting to see Yugi's reaction, she glanced back down at the magazine and its many pictures of the couple. She really didn't want to be the evil force to drag them apart this time around.

"Did Ishizu say anything?"

"Hello and that was about it."

Yugi was silent for a few seconds, causing Téa to nervously fidget with her hands, looking at him hopefully as he weighed up his options. He couldn't exactly go to Kaiba and tell him to watch Kisara's back; it would sound more along the lines of a threat than actual concern, but what else could they do? Call him overly-compassionate, but Yugi had grown accustomed to Kisara around the store and to Kaiba's happier mood these days … he didn't want this Kisara to suffer what her past self had.

"You have to talk to Ishizu, Téa."

The tablet would be in the Museum for another day or two and he had no doubt that the Tomb-keeper would be there. As the Secretary General of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, the young woman was very protective of her relics and would make sure that the Tablet of Lost Memories was adequately transported.

"Why? She wasn't in the memory world, so she wouldn't know about the Kisara back then-"

Téa trailed off as she heard her own words and the naivety in them; if anyone knew about this kind of confusing past-life stuff it would be Ishizu Ishtar. Whether the Egyptian had been in the memory world or not, she would undoubtedly know about what had happened.

Looking down at the magazine once more, the young ballerina nodded her head lightly; she would go to the museum and find Ishizu. There just had to be a way to cancel out Kisara's dreams.

* * *

Finally giving up, Kisara abandoned the three pink gowns on her bed, with one landing on top of the university textbook she'd been flicking through earlier. She had just wasted a whole hour on _not_ choosing a dress for Saturday's big function. The pink one she had initially intended to wear had been the perfect shade of pale pastel pink, but the style of the dress was bolder than she would have liked. The trail fell in perfect sweeps, but it was the bodice that bothered the young woman; it was fitted like a corset and fastened in the same way with lace binding it at the spine.

As a result of the risqué dress, Kisara had sifted through a selection of her other dresses for the past hour, ultimately discovering two more pink gowns, but both were much darker shades of pink and would make her complexion appear ghostly pale, just as the emerald dress had on her first day in the mansion. Having wasted more than an hour, she was back to square one with no clue what to wear at all. Well and truly bored of the fruitless adventure, the young woman surrendered to her growling stomach and headed for the hall, throwing the three dresses a look of contempt.

Catching sight of her reflection in the mirror, Kisara stopped short of her room's door. Normally she would have no problem about wandering down to the kitchen in a tank top and pyjama shorts as she was usually awake before the maids arrived at the mansion or Seto and Mokuba woke. But she had somehow managed to sleep-in this morning, waking to bright wintry sunshine at a shameful ten o'clock and then wasted an hour on the dress situation.

As it was now approaching the lunch hour, Kisara had no doubt that the mansion would be buzzing with activity; the maids would be in full swing and there could well be stockholders visiting today. She certainly didn't want the businessmen seeing her with a bedhead and in pyjamas, that much was for sure. Entering her walk-in wardrobe, Kisara dragged her room's wooden chair with her; a sudden idea having formulated. It was this chair that accompanied her hardwood desk and had recently become her personal ladder when the need arose. Standing up on the abused seat, Kisara stretched to the tips of her toes and reached a hand to the very back of a higher shelf, struggling for a few seconds before her hand grasped at the cold metal of the trove. Pulling the old jewellery box towards her, Kisara flipped it open and sifted through the photos for a few seconds before finding the one she wanted; the group shot at the Domino Market. Picking up the photograph, the young woman paused as another image stole her attention.

Every single Christmas since it had happened, Kisara had always made sure to pull out this picture and acknowledge her, but she hadn't done so this year and the guilt stabbed deep. Holding the picture of her younger self and her big cousin, Kisara felt a slight lump rise in her throat; was it so wrong that she had forgotten? For eight Christmases the young woman had found the few minutes to stare at the this photo, but she had never had anything else to do on the twenty-fifth of December; no crystal rose to receive or festive film to talk through. Nobody's thigh to use as a pillow, or pendant to take care of either.

"Sorry Nat."

Tracing a light hand over the brunette's smiling face, Kisara placed the photograph back amongst the countless others she possessed and pushed the small box back into its place. It was only as she reached to the very back of the shelf, that the chair began to wobble slightly, just as it did every time she reclaimed her photographs.

"_You should be careful _…"

Jumping at the unfamiliar voice, Kisara lost her balance and the chair pitched to the right, teetering on two legs for a second. Trying to catch her footing, the young woman closed her eyes as the chair gave into gravity; she was coming down with it and there was no improving the situation. She landed with a painful thump as one of the chair's legs caught her on the right hip. Somehow managing to find her feet again, Kisara glanced around the large wardrobe, frantically looking for the owner of the voice; she wanted to see Seto or Mokuba or Isamu or any other familiar male to be standing close by, amused by her ungraceful fall.

Limping out into her room, Kisara felt her heart sink; there was no one in the room, which meant no one to lay claim to the voice in her ear. Despite herself, she knew it wasn't Seto's voice that had spoken, or Mokuba's or anyone else that she knew. Scanning the room once more, Kisara let a small sigh of relief escape as she noticed her window to be open; with spring only a month or two away, there was a team of gardeners at the mansion today, deciding what flowers would best thrive once the weather turned. It had probably been a stray call from the garden that had spooked her.

Walking back to the wardrobe, Kisara righted the chair and grabbed some clothes before returning the guilty piece of furniture to its desk. As she fished around for her second sneaker, the young woman silenced the voice in her head that was telling her the words of warning had come from no gardener. Her conscience told her to connect the voice to the stranger by the Sakura tree, but her intelligence refused the theory; it had been a simple echo from the garden. Finally locating the elusive sneaker, Kisara pulled on a pair of black jeans, starting as she found the spot where the chair-leg had struck; it had been aching, but actually touching the spot had brought the area to painful life. Letting loose an angry sigh, she eyed the new injury; the spot above her right hipbone was already an angry red with a dark purple centre … and she thought Mokuba's black-eye had been impressive.

Despite the newborn bruise, Kisara found her good mood to be prevailing. She should sleep in more often if it meant waking up headache-free and without the same stupid dream about the white dragon card. It might still be cold outside, but the sun was letting loose a watery shine, offering a short break from the snow.

A long-sleeved tee and Tiffany-blue hoody finished the rushed ensemble. Glancing in her mirror once again, Kisara grabbed a hairbrush and began the task of untangling her hair as she walked to her bedside table. A collection of hair grips, bobby pins and scrunchies cluttered the table, with a neglected clip or two having fallen to the ground. She liked having long hair, but the tresses did tend to get in the way now and then. Picking up a black hair tie, Kisara placed the elastic around her wrist and banished her hair up into a high ponytail. She also made sure to pick up one more item from her cluttered table; three whole days and the pendant was still safe. Slipping the brown cord over her head, Kisara let Seto's pendant land against her chest and finally headed for the door, her stomach growling all the louder.

Walking through the upstairs hall, she could hear the maids at work in various rooms, calling to one another and speculating about their new colleague. Seto had announced about Kaoru's retirement to the maids last night, and the fact that a new maid would be hired in the next few days. Despite not knowing Kaoru very well, the young woman felt slightly saddened by the housekeeper's retirement; she had been one of the first maids to flash a friendly smile those three months ago.

Seeing Akari struggling with two laundry baskets, Kisara quickened her pace up the hall and relieved the shorter girl of a basket, making sure to lean the basket against her un-injured left hip. Glancing around the obstructing pile of laundry, Akari blinked with surprise as she saw who was helping her; she'd been expecting Aki or Kimiko to have taken pity on her.

"M- Ms. Ashbrook, it's okay; I'll make two trips."

"Nonsense, I'm heading towards the kitchen anyway."

Nodding her head and returning the friendly smile, Akari fell into pace beside her employer's fiancée. She was definitely different than all the others; not one of the past flings had given the maids a second glance, especially the last one before Ms. Ashbrook's arrival. That one, the model-wannabe, had been a pain in the rear end for even the security team, or so Isamu had told her. Akari merely disliked her because the stick-insect had constantly made reference to her height. Just because the model was abnormally tall, she had somehow believed the short maid to have a Napoleon complex.

Reaching the end of the stairs, Akari threw a glance towards Kisara again. She was no expert on Mr. Kaiba, but something told her that his days of flings and superficial glamour models were finished with.

"Have you decided on a dress yet, Ms. Ashbrook?"

Noticing Kai to be bounding towards them, Akari paused for a second as she asked the question and kicked a half-chewed bauble across the foyer, distracting the puppy and saving her ankles from the same fate as the Christmas decoration. Kisara didn't have to ask if she meant the function on Saturday; for the past few days the mansion had been rife with talk about the event.

"No luck … at this point I think it's going to be a jeans and hoody affair."

Chuckling lightly, Akari backed into the swinging door of the kitchen and held it for Kisara to walk through, noticing the ease with which the European had answered her. Three months ago and the response would have been convoluted by stutters and pauses. Leading the way to the utility room, Akari hid a pleased smile; the timid heiress had come a long way since her arrival.

"Thanks a lot, Ms. Ashbrook."

"No problem … Kai!"

Noticing the small husky making a beeline for the dirty laundry, Kisara timely scooped the trouble-maker up and smiled at Akari before leaving the maid to her work; she doubted the rushed maid needed her slowing things down and her stomach was still growling in neglect. Walking into the kitchen, the young woman placed Kai back down on the tiled floor and switched on the electric kettle, noticing a small black mobile phone abandoned atop the microwave oven. In the three months she'd been living in the mansion, Kisara had come to discover that the top of the microwave was the destination for any unclaimed items; mail, stray Duel Monster cards, one or two of her own earrings and now a familiar black phone.

Not liking the quiet of the kitchen, she switched on the small television attached to the wall. The news channel was already circulating information on Saturday night's function, further emphasizing the fact that she had no dress yet. Grabbing an apple from the usually ignored fruit bowl, Kisara bit into it and began to dig through the mountain of mail atop the microwave. The _Domino Express _would be publishing its newest issue on Saturday morning and had requested she make a decision on what charity should receive the compensation for their slander. She was sure the newspaper's letter of apology had ended up on top of the microwave, but finding it was a true task.

After a few seconds of searching, she found what she was looking for and reclaimed the envelope. Then came the next obstacle; how exactly did one go about officially donating money? Surely there was paperwork involved, especially for such a large sum. Opening the envelope, the young woman pulled out the well-worded apology and ran an eye down it. Not only had the editor published an apology in the newspaper, but had also made sure to mail one to the mansion, even more eloquent than its published form. Reading through the letter once again, she leaned back against the counter, her back to the microwave and chewed on a bite of apple; she knew which charity deserved the money, just not how to give it to them. Looking up as the door swung open, Kisara smiled as a rushed Mokuba entered, his violet eyes scanning around the room before looking towards her.

"Kisara, have you-"

"You left it on top of the microwave."

Smiling as Kisara handed him the elusive gadget, the youngster felt a flood of relief as his mobile phone reappeared; today was definitely not a day to lose the flip-phone.

"Thanks, hey did you make up your mind yet?"

Indicating the letter in her hand, Mokuba leaned against the kitchen table and checked his watch; the limo should be arriving soon. The teenager had been surprised by his brother's request, but had agreed nonetheless and resisted the urge to ask why. If Seto wanted the day off, then it was for a good reason.

"Yes, I just don't know how to go about donating it."

"Ask Seto, he's had to do stuff like that before. He should be up in his study right now."

Hearing a car horn sound outside, Mokuba wondered why he had agreed to this whole thing in the first place; he didn't mind doing his bit for the company, but with the tournament function so close at hand KaibaCorp would be hectic today. Turning around to look at Kisara, the teenager smiled widely as he walked backwards towards the door.

"Don't worry about him being busy; he took the day off. KaibaCorp temporary CEO at you service!"

Kisara smiled widely as Mokuba bowed theatrically and exited the kitchen, bumping into his brother as he did so. She broke out into a fit of giggles as she spotted the collision and the shocked look on the younger Kaiba's face; obviously Seto was no longer in his study. Seeing the bemused look Seto threw the teenager as he entered the kitchen, Kisara took note of her fiancé's casual clothes; definitely not office attire.

"Good morning, sleepy-head."

Smiling as Seto towered over her with sarcasm in his voice, Kisara took a breath to respond, but merely closed her mouth again as no retort came to mind; she _had_ slept on it. Decidedly changing the topic away from her sleeping pattern, the young woman noticed Seto's hands to be placed on the counter-top either side of her, just like the day Akari had walked in on them.

"I was just about to look for you."

Seeing his eyebrows raise in what was a noticeably suggestive manner, Kisara shook her head with a laugh and held up the letter from the editor of the _Domino Express_. Holding the letter in one hand and scanning an eye down the long-winded apology, Seto shrugged his shoulders and began to fish around the lost-and-found that was the microwave oven; he was sure he'd seen a pen lying about a few days ago.

"I'll get Rin to take care of it, just tell me what charity."

For the second time in only a few minutes Kisara took a breath to speak but settled for closing her mouth again. It was no lack of answer that silenced her this time though; the young woman was caught off-guard by how close her fiancé suddenly was. In the bid to find a pen, Seto had to lean closer to the microwave situated behind her right shoulder, bringing his frame to within a mere inch of her own. Locating the pen at the back of the appliance, Kisara felt her cheeks flush as he leaned even closer to reach the ballpoint. His chest brushed against hers and she could feel a hand on her hip as Seto kept his balance.

She felt like kicking herself; why should such a trivial movement make her blush like that? It wasn't as if he'd never placed a light hand on her hip before or been in such a close proximity. Since the interrupted happenings in the living room, thanks to Mokuba's appetite, a few kisses had escalated as far but they were always cut short by something or other. At this stage, the young woman actually did believe they were jinxes and she had to admit she was frustrated of simple kisses, no matter how steamy. Was it so wrong that she wanted more? To maybe find out what her future husband might look like without a top garment?

"Did you pick a charity?"

Realizing that she had been staring into nothingness, Kisara blinked and nodded her head. Thankfully feeling her blush recede, she chewed the inside of her cheek for a second or two; she didn't even know if it was a good idea. Ever since learning of Miki's mother, Kisara had know what charity deserved the money, but she was hesitant. She hadn't know the woman at all; maybe it was wrong to donate the money to breast cancer research just because Miki had taken a shine to her …

"To cancer research, a breast cancer fund if possible."

Seto paused at that, his dark blue eyes flashing a mix of surprise and understanding. Smiling lightly, the company-owner nodded his head and wrote a few words onto the end of the letter before folding the sheet of paper and placing it in a pocket.

"It'll be sorted by this evening."

"Thank you …"

Seto smirked as he stood closer and let his hands rest on her waist; he had a good idea why she had chosen that charity and suspected a small five-year-old girl to be part of the reason. Just as he made to dip his head a little lower, Seto stopped short; the newscaster on the television screen had just uttered two rather familiar names in the same sentence.

"She's with Schroeder now?"

Looking to the small screen, Kisara took note of the couple garnering attention; Zigfried and some young woman she had never seen before. The female was tall with dark hair and bleached streaks, her face producing a top-grade trout-pout. Looking back to Seto, Kisara frowned; if it wasn't Mokuba or one of the maids cutting them short, then it was the news.

"You know her?"

"Rie Mitsuru; she's an old girlfriend …"

Finding her interest renewed, the French girl looked back to the screen and paid more attention to Rie; she was tall with a thin figure, hollowed cheek-bones and a chest that was too big to be natural. Somewhat disappointed, Kisara took stock of her own figure. She didn't tick any of those boxes; she wasn't tall, or a size zero and her chest consisted of flesh, not silicone.

Resisting the urge to laugh at Rie's newest victim, Seto glanced down at Kisara; she was watching the screen and her cheeks were coloured with a red tinge. He could almost see the gears turning in her mind and connecting the dots as she saw Rie. Ever since the short-lived relationship with the model, the press-world seemed to stereotype his preferences according to her, something he could see Kisara beginning to do. Ignoring the television, the young CEO lowered his head and placed a light kiss on her lips, speaking lowly as he pulled away.

"Don't judge me by her … she's just the human version of Miss Piggy."

At the unexpected comparison, Kisara looked upwards with a confused frown. It was only three days ago that he had looked utterly clueless at the mention of the Muppets.

"I thought you-"

"Google helped out."

As he shrugged and said it, Seto noticed how the red tinge had disappeared from her cheeks and two light dimples had taken its place. It took only a few seconds for Kisara to start giggling, her attention well and truly pulled away from Rie. Feeling his own lips curve into a smile, Seto furrowed his eyebrows in a bid to look serious.

"And what's so funny?"

"You Googled the Muppets?"

"No one's ever done that for you before?"

Smiling all the more, Kisara shook her head and stood on tip-toes as she made to link her arms around Seto's lowered neck. And there was that knack back again; making her feel better in an instant.

"No, I can honestly say that nobody has ever Googled the Muppets for me before."

"Guess you've been missing out then …"

A light touch of his lips followed Seto's words, along with his frame pulling just a little closer. Kisara giggled lightly as she pulled away and looked up into deep cobalt eyes; maybe she had been missing out all along. Without thinking, Kisara moved her right hand to brush away some brown strands, revealing the small scar above his left eyebrow. She blinked as Seto caught her hand in his and she felt his lips again, the kiss much deeper this time. Feeling his other hand on the small of her back, Kisara stretched to the very top of her toes with her arms re-linking around her fiancé's neck.

The sound of someone clearing his throat put an abrupt end to the kiss as Seto half-turned towards the kitchen door.

"You wanted me to remind you of the time, sir."

Recognising the voice, Kisara buried her face in Seto's chest; she could feel her cheeks burning with a bright blush. As the owner of the voice took his leave, Kisara guessed it was a bad time to welcome Roland back to work. Her cheeks burned all the more as she realised he had received a first-person view of the steamy encounter. Hearing a laugh, the embarrassed young woman glared up at her fiancé and narrowed her eyes.

"It's not funny!"

The light push she gave him made Seto laugh all the more as he took a few steps backwards, raising his arms in mock-defence. Still smiling, he moved closer and laced his fingers between hers.

"I've got a surprise for you."

* * *

She had been to this huge building before, only a mere three months ago. Looking up at Domino International Airport, Kisara noticed its busy atmosphere for the first time as countless strangers passed by, all of them in a rush. She hadn't had the chance to appreciate the contemporary building those three months ago due to the hordes of paparazzi at the time and the security team escorting her to Kosuke's limo, but the young woman scanned the bustling exterior before turning to interrogate Seto for the umpteenth time.

"Why're we here, Seto?"

"You'll see …"

As Kosuke manoeuvred the limo back into the flowing traffic, Kisara frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. From the mansion to the airport, Seto had been secretive about the mentioned surprise, despite her questioning. Even now, as he steered her ever closer to the automatic doors, the young man declined to reveal anything of his plan. Giving in with a smile, Kisara let herself be walked to the building's entrance.

Like every other airport she had seen before, the interior of Domino's airport was expansive, filled with echoing voices as a public-address system boomed over head. Metal chairs identified the waiting areas, along with drink dispensers and vending machines. The upper levels flaunted a host of fast-food restaurants, a children's play area and the departure lounge.

Glancing up at the large clock above the check-in desks, Seto took note of the time; they still had a couple of minutes to waste yet. Ignoring a few curious tourists, he kept a light hand around Kisara's waist and headed to the arrival's lounge.

"What's that?"

Pulling his eyes away from the arrival's gate, the young company-owner directed his attention to the centre of the large waiting area, smirking as he saw the large monument. His company had been the main contributor to the ornamental fountain, something he was quite proud of; the large fountain was the first thing people saw when they arrived here.

"They're Senbazuru; strings of one thousand paper cranes. An old legend says making one thousand will grant you a wish."

"They're pretty."

Whether she meant the Senbazuru or the numerous Koi fish inhabiting the fountain, Seto didn't ask; the public-address system had just blared back into life, calling out its announcement in numerous languages.

"_Now arriving, Air Nippon flight B49C8."_

Hearing the swoosh of automatic doors opening and the tell-tale sound of suitcase wheels on tiles, Kisara looked over her shoulder towards the customs area, where a fresh influx of people had arrived in Japan. Each one took a few seconds of liberty to glance around, looking for loved ones, taking in their surroundings or merely to locate the nearest lavatory. She hadn't done any of those things upon arriving; Roland and Isamu had been by her side straight away, with numerous other suited men and women creating a boundary between her and the crowd of reporters.

Amongst the many fleeting faces and excited children running about, one face caught Kisara's attention. The young woman wasn't looking about the waiting area like everyone else, she was much too busy straightening out her attire; black trousers and a flattering white blouse. A red belt and matching necklace tied in the click-clacking vermillion high-heels. The large handbag claimed the woman's attention for a further few seconds as she rummaged about in it, stowing away her passport.

Turning fully away from the gurgling fountain, Kisara took a few small steps forward and let her full attention fall on the woman. Her hair was a polar opposite to its style of three years ago; gone were the traditional buns and long bangs. Instead, a shoulder-length layered bob-cut had taken the place of her ebony tresses. But the French girl recognised the narrow jaw line, the pointed nose and the deep brown eyes.

"Vivian?"

In an instant the owner of the name had looked up and locked her gaze with the contrasting blue eyes. Vivian's shocked look was soon overcome with a growing smile as her pace quickened.

"Kisara!"

* * *

**A/n- Thanks a million for taking the time to take a look guys, and I really hoped you like it. XxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**Note: **_Senbazuru_ are the strings of one-thousand paper cranes that, according to Japanese legend, grant one wish. They can be made by hand or can be bought in strings of one-thousand.

2nd Revision - 7/March/2011


	26. Reappearance

**Author's Note:** Hi everyone! I'm really sorry for the wait; I only just got moved onto university campus and, between sorting out my timetable and getting my laptop configured to the internet, I only just got back into writing. Good news is that the next chapter should be finished soon; this chapter was almost 100kb long (about 10,000 words) without being near finished, but I read through it and it _dragged_, so I done some editing and split it up. Hopefully this chapter will be okay and I hope you all like it! XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

* * *

"_Each step reminds me of the past_"

* * *

The doors opened unto the arrivals lounge and Vivian struggled with her handbag, trying to banish her passport back into its depths. Standing still for a few seconds, she let the other arriving people mill around her as the small booklet finally disappeared into the bag and she straightened out her clothes; hours of sitting down had done no wonders for her creased black trousers. She was just grateful to have sent her luggage to Japan ahead of her journey; there was no way she could have managed a suitcase aswell.

"Vivian?"

It was the sound of her own name that made Vivian Wong glance away from her troublesome handbag. Searching for the source of the familiar voice, Vivian looked towards the crowd of people bustling around the large fountain. Amongst that moving throng of people, she could recognise two particular people, knowing immediately who had called her name.

Three years had changed the younger girl very little: maybe her hair was longer, but the blonde dye was nowhere to be seen, something that made Vivian very happy. Barely even noticing that Seto Kaiba had his hands on her friend's waist, the duelist broke out into a wide smile, her feet moving on autopilot.

"Kisara!"

Three years of absence blurred into the tiny three seconds it took for the young women to meet halfway in a rushed hug, neither paying any attention to the staring tourists. Seto hid a smirk as he stayed by the fountain; there had definitely been no bust up between the two. He'd seen plenty of feuding girls, usually his past exes, and females were particularly ferocious when it came to disagreements; cold looks, snide remarks and deliberate ignoring were all factors utilised. Neither Kisara nor Vivian made use of any of those factors as they half-jumped up and down in their excitement. The young CEO felt strangely happy with himself as the two girls studied each other and his fiancée smiled widely: her smile as happy as he'd seen it yet.

Kisara let her eyes scan over her friend as they pulled apart, her attention falling on the most drastic of changes.

"Your hair …"

"You're one to talk!"

Vivian laughed lightly as she eyed Kisara's dye-free tresses and swept a few of her own short locks behind her ear, the longest strands of the hairstyle tickling the nape of her neck. It had been a spontaneous decision to cut loose her long hair, but Vivian found that she quite liked it; all it took was five minutes to wash, dry and style. Little effort was needed to look great; her favourite style!

Like a magpie drawn to shiny objects, Vivian instantly forgot about any hair changes and let her deep brown eyes lock onto the piece of jewellery glittering beneath the bright lights of the airport.

"Show me, show me!"

A few more new arrivals passed by, throwing a curious look at the two young women. Kisara let some giggles escape as Vivian grabbed her left hand, attention focusing on the expensive engagement ring. The Chinese woman took her time in surveying the ring and its three diamonds, her expert eyes taking in every detail. Satisfied by the gems, she nodded her head lightly.

"I'm actually impressed; it's beautiful … is he compensating for something?"

Seto frowned as he registered the narrowed eyes and stern look sent his way. The young man was hesitant to move any closer, quite happy with his safe distance; the last time he'd gotten too close to Vivian Wong still haunted him, along with echoes of her pet-name for him. Still, the cold glare from his former fangirl took him aback. Deciding to brave the dragon's wrath, Seto walked forward to where Kisara stood, his hands automatically finding their way to his fiancée's waist despite her friend's pointed glare.

"I'll leave you two to catch up. You've got my number and Kosuke's if you need anything."

Kisara smiled and nodded as she felt a light kiss on the side of her neck, just below her left ear and Seto's arms tighten around her just a little before he headed for the automatic doors of the airport. Somehow managing to keep her blush in check, she ignored the one or two tourists who had recognised Seto and glanced back to Vivian.

"What?"

The half-lidded eyes and pursed lips constituted a look the European knew only too well; it was Vivian's reserved judgemental look. Vivian shook her head lightly as KaibaCorp's owner disappeared out the doors in a throng of excited tourists and amateur duelists asking for autographs.

"You could do so much better than him …"

"I thought you liked Seto?"

Kisara raised an eyebrow; just before the KC Grand Prix commenced three years ago, Vivian had been obsessed with Seto Kaiba. She had planned to somehow have the CEO fall in love with her and, if that failed, then Yugi Muto would be her next target. The sharp look and condescending head shake was a world away from her utter infatuation. Vivian shrugged her shoulders in answer and waved a hand around at nothing in particular.

"That was years ago. I just hope he's treating you … okay, I get the point."

Vivian broke out into a wide smile as Kisara folded her arms across her chest and pouted with a serious look; that was most definitely the "that's quite enough of that" look from back in China. Kisara usually saved that look for unwanted nightclub-crawls and regretful hungover conversations, something the brunette had missed for the past three years.

Noticing another influx of arrivals making their way through the customs' door, Vivian winked and linked her arms through her old friend's, dragging the younger woman with her towards the airport's door.

"Where's your luggage?"

Vivian hid a smirk as Kisara asked the question; if it had been up to her, then she would have hauled a few suitcases with her on the same flight, but Kaiba had insisted that she send her luggage ahead and keep her arrival day free of any events. Thinking back, the young woman now knew why Seto Kaiba had made that suggestion. A she noticed the trademark pendant hanging around her friend's neck, she silently acknowledged that maybe he was just tiny, miniscule bit kinder than he had been three years ago. Raising her eyebrows in a suggestive arc, Vivian batted her eyelashes a few times and laced her answer with a feigned innocence.

"Kaiba suggested that I send it ahead so I would have today free …"

The slight blush that coloured her friend's cheeks was one Vivian knew very well; it only happened when Kisara was embarrassed slightly by something; a slight blush that just about coloured the apples of her cheeks, as opposed to the deep red that consumed her face when meeting someone new.

"So, what do aunty and uncle think of this whole engagement thing?"

"T-they're happy-"

"You're lying, they haven't called, have they?"

Kisara cringed inwardly as she shook her head. She noted that her left hand had just swept some hair behind her ear; maybe Téa had been rather perceptive about her lie indicator. Vivian took a breath to respond as they emerged onto the bright Domino street but decided not to, sighing heavily instead. They had had this conversation numerous times back in China and the outcome never changed. Hoping to change the topic, the duelist gestured around her at the buildings and bustling streets.

"Well then, give me the grand tour you city-goer, you!"

Kisara giggled and looked about, wondering where to visit first; there was the museum where Téa had brought her, countless cinemas and shops and even a long coastline boasting a beach, though the last option would definitely be a no-go; snow still clung to the shaded pavements as the weak sun began to disappear behind dark clouds and she doubted that the sea would be very welcoming at this time of year.

"Excuse me, Ms. Ashbrook?"

The familiar voice stopped Kisara from making a decision on a destination. Looking to the man, she smiled as Miki peeked out from behind Toshi's leg and waved lightly. Almost immediately after seeing Toshi, Vivian re-arranged some loose bangs of her hair and straightened out her shirt yet again.

"Sorry to bother you ladies, but Seto isn't around, is he?"

"I think he's at the mansion all day, Toshi."

The man nodded his head with a smile and bowed lightly as Miki caught his hand and stepped out into full view.

"Thank you."

Another flawlessly polite bow and small wave from Miki. As Toshi and his little girl disappeared back into the crowded streets, Kisara looked back to her friend, shaking her head as the once-model watched the businessman walk away. Only when she could no longer see him did Vivian melodramatically fan herself with her hand.

"He is _fine_ …"

"He's off-limits and so is Yugi Muto come to think of it."

"Why would I want a hamburger when steak is on the menu?"

Dragging her man-eater friend with her, Kisara laughed all the more; she had really missed old Vivian and her hunt for men.

"You do realise that you just called the King of Games a hamburger, right?"

Vivian nodded her head with enthusiasm and let loose a few laughs before bringing a sly smile to the surface.

"Want to know what my favourite name of all is? It involves a certain CEO …"

* * *

Ishizu supposed she was luckier than most other museum workers; as curator of the Egyptian exhibit she was bestowed a rather impressive office that branched off of the main showroom. At any time, she was only a mere few seconds from the priceless artefacts.

Heaving a tired sigh, the young woman signed off on the last of the paperwork needed to transport the Tablet of Lost Memories back to its homeland. Due to New Year's Eve being so close, the tablet would have to wait until after the Christmas holidays before it could be moved, something she had completely overlooked last week. Standing from the large desk, Ishizu grabbed the necessary papers and confined them to a folder, which she then locked away safely in a drawer; Marik and Odion would take care of the paperwork on the other side of the world. Picking up her cup of water from the desk, she silently wondering which one of Egypt's artefacts should take the place of the stone stela; her family possessed many other archaic pieces, but she feared none were as impressive as the tablet.

Pushing the thought to the back of her mind, the Tomb-keeper pulled her overly-large hoody around her as a shiver ran up and down the length of her spine. She doubted anyone would recognise her right now; with her ebony hair pulled back into a loose, untidy bun and wearing simple casual clothes. Having already spent one or two winters in Japan, Ishizu had since concluded that her light traditional clothing was ill-suited to snow and frost. Possessing very little winter clothing, the young woman had found a few pairs of jeans hidden in her wardrobe at home and managed to pilfer a few of her brothers' larger hooded sweaters.

"We need to talk, Ishizu."

She jumped with fright and the cup fell to the floor, spilling water into the plush carpet. Whipping her head around to the source of the voice, Ishizu Ishtar did a double-take; it had been years since he had visited her and the young woman was caught quite off-guard by his sudden re-emergence.

"What are you doing here?"

She was too surprised to notice the change in his appearance; the lack of robes and turban and acquisition of modern clothing, but what Ishizu did notice was the underlying worry etched into his plain blue eyes. The young-looking man ignored her shocked question and shook his head.

"There is no time; Téa Gardner will visit you … if not tonight, then tomorrow. You must tell her not to interfere in this business."

"What business, have I missed something?"

Not even blinking, the blue-eyes stared out the door and the young man decidedly strode out into the exhibit room. Following suit, Ishizu found him to be staring up at the stone tablet with a determined look. Noticing her arrival at his side, the visitor raised a hand and placed it on the cold glass above the cartouche displaying the name of High Priest Seth, prior to his succession as Pharaoh of Egypt.

"Things will be different this time around, Ishizu. I will not let her die again … people do deserve a second chance, don't they?"

The pleading in his eyes made her nod her head at the generic question and glance up at the tablet too, only his hand wasn't over Pharaoh Seth's name as she had first thought.

In a smaller cartouche, partially etched away by age and time, there was engraved another name; discovered by a young French Egyptologist over twenty years ago. Its position beside the name of the succeeding pharaoh told of the woman's status amongst the royal family. Ishizu studied the name, being one of the few people to know of its existence; many visitors overlooked the faded engraving in favour of the duel between the pharaoh and his priest. Her proper title would have been "Beloved Great Royal Wife" if it hadn't been for the funerary depictions found on the walls of her tomb, beside the sarcophagus of Pharaoh Seth. The pharaoh had decidedly made the woman his wife after her premature death, something unheard of in Egyptian tradition. The fact that he had buried the girl in his readied tomb told a lot of how much the king had cared for her. Even the most prestigious of pharaohs had buried their wives in adjoining rooms or even in separate tombs …

Feeling a sinking in her stomach, Ishizu looked back to her old friend, now fully understanding what he intended.

"So it is her then."

At the sound of her voice, the returned man nodded his head solemnly. Ishizu ran an eye down the many hieroglyphics surrounding the pictorial duel. It made no mention of _how_ she had died, but it did describe a very strange appearance of colourless hair and pale skin, something completely out of the norm for an Egyptian native. For many years Ishizu had considered the description to be exaggerated somewhat; the girl had probably come from the western world, with fair hair and a pale complexion.

It was only as news broke about Seto Kaiba's engagement to a French girl that the Tomb-keeper had truly believed the hieroglyphics. With images of Kisara Ashbrook and Seto Kaiba flooding most media outlets, it was hard not to think of the stone tablet and the fate of the pale woman. Ishizu had presumed she would go back to Egypt without becoming wrapped up in any more past lives but then Téa had walked the girl straight into her exhibit those few days ago.

"You must tell Téa to keep away for her own safety. Kisara's memories are returning and there will be danger soon."

He turned away from the tablet and began walking towards the exit door out of the Egyptian exhibit. Turning on her heel, Ishizu made to follow, hoping to get some more information; after the happenings at Battle City, she considered Téa somewhat of a friend and didn't want anything to happen the young dancer. That said, neither did she want the past repeating itself, especially after being introduced to Kisara four days ago.

"Shadi, wait!"

But it was too late; the millennia-old spirit had disappeared in his usual fashion. Ishizu Ishtar stood rooted to the spot as the consequences of Shadi's words began to roll through her mind. What did he mean by danger?

* * *

It was dark when the limo finally pulled up at the base of the mansion's steps and the thawed snow had re-frozen to form a thick layer of ice on the ground. She had spent hours with Vivian traipsing about Domino City, what exactly they had spent the few hours on, she wasn't sure; mostly just walking about and window-shopping. There had been a few conversations about the old days and whether or not Yugi would win the upcoming Duel Monsters tournament; Vivian believed she had quite the chance this time around.

"Thank you, Kosuke."

"Not a problem, Ms. Ashbrook, just watch yourself on those icy steps."

Kisara nodded her head with a light smile as she opened the door of the limo and stepped out, careful of her footing. The stone steps had escaped most of the ice, but she still watched her step as she neared the top step. It was only as the large doors loomed ahead that a realisation suddenly dawned on the young woman; she had lived in the mansion a few months now and still had no key for the front door. Wasting a few seconds on deciding what to do, Kisara made to knock on the door only to find someone had left it slightly ajar. Thankful for the anomaly, she pushed the door further open, ready to catch a certain red-and-white blur. When Kai didn't spring for the door, Kisara stepped inside, closing the door behind her with a quiet click.

"Young Ms. Ashbrook."

Looking up at her own name, Kisara recognised the oldest of KaibaCorp's shareholders to be standing in the foyer with her fiancé, the two evidently having some business-orientated conversation.

"Koji."

The deep bow from the elderly man was returned likewise; a Japanese trait that Kisara was quickly becoming familiar with. Locating the elusive Kai to be nestled quite comfortably in Seto's arms, she politely excused herself and headed up the stairs. Vivian had berated her for not choosing a dress yet and had made her promise to pick one tonight, or else she'd arrive at the mansion's door and choose for her. Walking towards the piano's foyer, Kisara let a smile surface as she thought about her friend; whatever had stopped her contacting Vivian for three years seemed nonexistent right now. She hadn't realised how much she had missed the brunette and she had only one person to thank for reuniting them today.

"Ms. Ashbrook, Téa Gardner rang here for you earlier. She said she couldn't reach your mobile."

One of Akari's friends, the quietest of the three, had appeared at the far side of the grand piano, her arms laden with a washed curtain. Checking her pockets, Kisara mentally kicked herself for leaving her mobile in her room. What could Téa have wanted her for anyway? They had only just gone shopping yesterday …

"Shit!"

Slapping a hand to her forehead and letting the word fall before she could even think of it, Kisara blushed a bright red as Kimiko stifled a shocked laugh.

"Oh, I'm so s-sorry, Kimiko …"

She _never_ swore in front of people; that was one of her uncle's rules that she actually agreed with. Kimiko gave up trying to swallow her laughter and shook her head with a large smile.

"Don't worry about it; I've heard much worse than that. Just wait until the government changes the tax and V.A.T. levies; Mr. Kaiba will teach you a few words!"

With that laugh-filled comment, Kimiko carried on down the hall in much better spirits than before. Smiling at the maid's words, Kisara hastened her way to her room; she had told Téa she'd drop around for her shopping bags today and had forgotten all about. She must have seemed so rude; not showing up and then not answering her mobile phone. The young woman slowed down as she came to her bedroom door; it was the second door she had found to be ajar today. Registering someone in her room, Kisara smiled lightly, momentarily pushing her guilt to the back of her mind. Her bed, though she had made it this morning, was turned down much better and her guilty desk chair was arranged to its original position, but what caught Kisara's eye was the person sitting on the very edge of the bed with her nose buried deep in _Geography: Module 4_.

"You can have it if you want."

Akari immediately snapped the book shut and stood from the bed, her cheeks slightly coloured as she let guilt swim in her eyes.

"Ms. Ashbrook … I didn't mean to, that is I …"

Walking into the room, Kisara shook her head and picked up the heavy geography textbook from the bed, where it had been abandoned only seconds before. Why she had kept it all this time, even after university was beyond her.

"If you're that interested, you can have it, Akari."

"No, I shouldn't have been so nosey."

The petite maid's hesitation made the heiress nod her head slightly as she held the book out.

"I mean it; I don't need it anymore."

"I … I'll pay you for it, Ms. Ashbrook."

"You will not; it's a gift."

Shaking her head, Kisara handed the book over to the shorter girl, whose smile only grew larger. She had memorised the information in the tome a long time ago and the book was of no use to her; someone else might aswell have it if they were so interested.

"Thank you, Ms. Ashbrook, thank you so much!"

Half-skipping to the door of the room, Akari paused and turned back towards her employer's fiancée. She hadn't just been nosing at the books on the bed, something else had occupied her for a while.

"I would suggest the pink one, with the corset back."

This time it was Kisara's turn to be hesitant; that was the dress she had deemed to be too risqué for her taste. The ribbon that laced the back together left a small part of her spine visible through the fabric, something that would be much too bold for her to wear.

"It's much too revealing …"

"Puh-lease, you wear that one and I promise that all the other women will be green with envy! And you'll have every guy wanting to dance with you too!"

With that winked promise, Akari raised the book and said yet another thank-you for it before disappearing down a hall towards the south side of the mansion, a side Kisara hadn't yet explored.

Turning to look down at the dress in question, elegantly spread out on her bed by the pintsize maid, Kisara chewed her lip. It was true that she had worn a few revealing garments on nights out, such as short skirts and a tight top or two, but the whole media world hadn't been there to take a picture of her outfit when Vivian had commenced a tour from disco to disco.

Then again, maybe her hair would hide the exposed skin … she quite liked the colour of the dress, and she had told Téa and the other girls she was wearing a pink dress. Every other colour that suited her complexion had been taken; Rebecca was wearing a turquoise, so a blue or green was out of the question and Mai had a violet, so that put a stop to any purple hues. Pink would have to do and the corset-dress, as she had mentally christened it, was the only shade that suited her. She would wear it, she just needed to convince herself was all.

A bleep from her mobile phone transferred Kisara's attention back to her guilt; that was the second time she had forgotten about Téa today. As expected, the bleep was a warning that her battery was about to run dead. Fishing about under her bedside table, the young woman found her charger to be in a tangled mess. Blowing her fringe out of her eyes, Kisara sat on the edge of her bed and set to work on the monstrous knot that consumed the wire. Semi-untangling it, she plugged the charger into the wall and connected her mobile. As the small battery icon began blinking, Kisara checked her miscalls … three from Téa and a text message. Guilt had a powerful grip on her stomach as she pressed the green button and called her friend back. There was no ringtone, a recorded voicemail kicked in straight away, something she found odd; Téa _always_ had her phone turned on. Trying again, she got the same response so left a message to apologise and to say she would collect the bags tomorrow.

Leaving the silver phone to charge on the cluttered bedside table, Kisara stood from the bed and shot the desk chair a blaming look as her right hip stung sharply, a reminder of the bruise she had acquired hours ago. It was her stomach to cancel out her bruise though; she hadn't eaten all day except for the half-an-apple at lunch. Walking out her bedroom door, Kisara threw the pink dress another look; for some reason she trusted Akari on the dress. The maid had been nothing but nice to her and wouldn't suggest the dress unless she meant her words.

Pushing away from the doorframe, the young woman retraced her steps back towards the staircase, now capable of finding her way without a second thought. The left side of the building was still something she had to investigate though; apparently there was a room allocated for a pool-table and an expansive library, or so Mokuba had mentioned a few days ago.

Looking down into the foyer, Kisara continued down the stairs, noticing the welcome area to be empty now. The slightly-open front door and the sound of voices indicated that Seto and Koji's business-talk had moved out onto the top stone step. Making her way to the kitchen, Kisara pushed the swinging door open, only to almost trip over a discarded golden bauble. Side-stepping the desecrated decoration, she let the door swing closed and walked towards the large refrigerator. Picking up the remote control for the wall-mounted television, she switched on the usual channel; she was becoming quite familiar with the young anchor woman of the Domino News at this stage. A small tremor detected on the west of Japan had seismologists on edge, but other than that the country was fine; stock markets closed after going up about half a percent, something considered a blessing in the current economic climate.

Abandoning the remote back on the kitchen table, Kisara turned her attention back to the refrigerator; she was hungry, but didn't know what to eat. Looking at the shelves for inspiration, the young woman closed the fridge again and resumed her hunt for food through the cupboards. A hand brushing hair away from the back of her neck made Kisara jump, half-yelping as she did. Spinning around, she found Seto staring at her with a satisfied smile.

"I knew I saw something earlier …"

Blushing at his words, she raised a hand to the back of her neck and rubbed the symbols, just about able to feel the ink beneath her fingers. The marking was usually hidden from view by her hair, but the swinging ponytail wasn't very good at concealing the back of her neck.

"It means eternity."

Seto tilted his head as she spoke quietly, her eyes glancing down at the floor. With a smile and small shake of his head, he closed the step or two and cupped her chin, somewhat surprised at the Chinese symbols tattooed on her neck.

"I just never would have guessed you had a tattoo …"

Kisara couldn't help but smile as he placed a light kiss on her lips; anyone who ever saw the characters on her neck said the same thing. She usually just shrugged and blushed in answer to those people, but her answer to Seto was quite different, possibly spurred by her hours spent with Vivian.

"_Tattoos_ … more than one. I have another."

This time she could clearly see the surprise in Seto's eyes and laughed louder as his hand moved from her chin to the side of her neck and his fingers traced over the Chinese symbols. He let loose a small smirk before asking the next inevitable question.

"So, where's this other tattoo then?"

"You'll find out someday …"

Now it was his turn to laugh openly at her quick response and raised eyebrows; he hadn't seen her sparkier side in a long time. Hearing a familiar noise, Seto glanced up at the near-empty cupboard and back at his fiancée, whose stomach had growled lowly.

"Want to go out and get some real food?"

"Like a date?"

He really liked her slyer side. Seto nodded with a chuckle as he lowered his head, stealing a light kiss before taking a step back. Taking in the appearance of his shirt for the first time, Kisara furrowed her eyebrows; there were dirty, almost muddy marks all over the front of it.

"What happened?"

"_Your_ dog is what happened; she has one serious obsession with snow, even if it's melted into slush."

The pointed answer made her smile as she sat up on the kitchen table, feet resting on the chair. Amazing; Kai had been Mokuba's dog up until a few minutes ago. The teen had been the one to house-train her and was the one to feed and water her every evening.

"She's _my_ dog now, is she Mr. Kaiba?"

"_Oui_!"

The answer came from the utility room, where Seto had retreated to. Flicking through the television channels, Kisara tried to calm the butterflies that had taken flight in her stomach since he'd mentioned going out for dinner. It was idiotic, she knew that, but the young woman was oddly apprehensive about actually going out to a restaurant where other people could see them.

Catching a small movement in the corner of her eye, Kisara sprang to her feet and dropped the remote, standing on the kitchen chair, half-scared to move.

"Seto!"

"Yeah?"

The muffled reply from the utility room was of no use to her as the large black spider made its way across the table towards her.

"Seto, come out here _quick_!"

The emphasis on the last word served its purpose as Seto appeared in the kitchen, eyes a little worried as he stood in only jeans, his dirtied shirt having been discarded into the laundry basket and her shout preventing him from finding another. Well, she _had _wondered what he'd look like without a top garment …

"What's wrong?"

"Look!"

The spider was still trying to cross the table and attack her, or so it seemed as she pointed it out, standing to the very back of the chair. Shaking his head as he saw the problem, Seto picked up a glass tumbler from the sink and a discarded envelope from atop the microwave oven. In a matter of seconds he had trapped the admittedly large spider beneath the glass and slipped the envelope under the arachnid.

"Open the window."

Not daring to get down from the chair until the horrid little thing was gone, Kisara leaned over and unlatched the window, pushing it open from the safety of the wooden kitchen chair. She watched as Seto shook the glass and the spider disappeared to the ground below the window.

"Now, it's gone."

"Close the window …"

He shook his head with a truly amused smile; why most girls were absolutely petrified by spiders was a mystery to him. Even Rebecca, a girl with extreme intelligence, was ridiculously scared of the creatures.

"It's not going to climb back in, Kisara."

"It might …"

Despite a zero chance of the spider making a return visit, he closed the window anyway. Raising an eyebrow, the young man looked Kisara up and down, smiling with amusement at the situation.

"You can get down now; it's gone."

Realising she was still standing on top of the chair, Kisara blushed lightly and shook her head with a small smile. Happy with the new-found height, the young woman rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet.

"I like being taller for once."

The blush had nothing to do with standing on the chair if she was being honest; she had been correct in assuming her fiancé to have a toned physique. Seto possessed arms with defined muscles moving beneath the skin and an abdomen that separated into six moderately-defined sections. True that she had seen more impressive six-packs, but those had belonged to athletes that Vivian had somehow gotten her claws into.

It was only as she registered how close Seto was and his arms moving that Kisara snapped back to attention, trying to dance out of the way with a smile. Unfortunately she wasn't quick enough and the young woman felt arms around her thighs and muscles bracing to lift her from the chair. She noticed just how tall Seto was as his head reached up to her chest, despite her extra height. Laughing, she pushed against him as he made to lift her, half-scared of losing her balance and gaining another new bruise.

Kisara lost her smile and cringed as she knocked her bruised hip against the back of the chair, something Seto noticed and took a step back. Frowning, the young woman pulled up her hoody and lowered the waist of her jeans by a few centimetres until the dark purple bruise came into view.

"What happened?"

The step backwards was quickly reclaimed and Kisara felt light hands on her thighs.

"I got into a fight with my desk chair …"

"I guess the chair won."

She nodded her head with a small smile; the chair had most definitely won the bout, but she'd get her revenge. A light hand just above the bruise caused a small blush to colour her cheeks, but it was short-lived as she felt arms tighten around her thighs again. Laughing, Kisara dropped to the table and sat on it; she couldn't fall if she wasn't standing and he couldn't lift her either. Smiling all the more as Seto moved closer, Kisara looked up to lock eyes with him.

"Thank you."

The two words, spoken rather seriously, made Seto pause; he hadn't done anything … at least he didn't think he had. As her arms linked around his neck, Seto was still none the wiser as to what he'd done and shrugged a shoulder.

"Vivian told me that you organised her coming over, and sent her luggage ahead to keep today free …"

Trust Vivian Wong to spill the beans on everything; he doubted the ex-model could keep a secret even if he gave her half of KaibaCorp as a bribe. Pulling closer and placing his hands on her thighs, Seto raised an eyebrow.

"What else did Vivian tell you?"

It was the first time he'd seen her flash a truly devious smile in all the months since her arrival, and Seto had to admit that he liked the way her dimples deepened and her eyes squinted slightly.

"She told me the nick-name she gave you three years ago … Kaiba-"

The remainder of pet-name was cut-off by a very well-timed kiss and Kisara couldn't help but giggle as she pulled away.

"You don't like that name?"

"I'll stop you every time you try to say it."

At his narrowed gaze, her smile only widened and an eyebrow raised in retaliation; her sparkier side was truly given reign tonight.

"Promise? Kaiba-"

True to his word, Seto stopped the godforsaken name from being spoken, but there was more to the kiss this time around. Kisara leaned forward as she felt one of his hands move slowly from her thigh to under the hem of her hoody. Moving her own hand to rest on a muscled arm, she inched to the very edge of the table, deepening the kiss all the more.

The front door opening and closing put an abrupt end to anymore exploring once again, something Seto also seemed to notice as he shook his head lightly before resting his forehead against hers; catch a break? They couldn't even catch a few uninterrupted minutes. Smiling as a low growl made a reappearance, Seto glanced up at the clock on the wall.

"Let's get some food instead?"

Kisara nodded with a smile, standing up from the table without thinking about it. Realizing her mistake, she tried to sit back down as quickly as she could, but the young woman was just a second too slow.

"Seto! I'm too heavy, put me down!"

"Don't be dramatic; you're as light as a feather."

Ignoring anymore protests to place her on the floor, the young man lifted his fiancée over his shoulder with ease, laughing as she slapped at his back with only a light determination and her feet kicked at nothingness. After a few steps, Kisara gave up and let herself be carried towards the door, quite taken with the view of his toned muscles. Being so occupied with the fanciful view, Kisara didn't look out the kitchen window and see the same stranger hidden in the shadows of the sakura tree; instead she laughed openly as the swinging door was pushed open.

Entering the foyer gained a surprised look from a bewildered Mokuba and Rebecca, not to mention a caught-off-guard Roland and shocked Aki. The bystanders didn't really know what to be more surprised by; the fact that Seto wore no shirt, or that he had a young woman thrown over his shoulder.

"Long story; big spider."

And with that, Seto made his way up the stairs, delivering Kisara to her room door as his own stomach began to demand food.

* * *

**A/n- I really hope you all liked it; it was about time that Seto and Kisara got some screen-time and I promise there will be more of it in the next chapter! Thanks a million for taking the time read through this!**

2nd Revision - 7/March/2011


	27. Nightmares

**Author's Note:** An update in just over two weeks! That's sooo fast for me! Isn't it obvious I have no assignments for university yet? Anyways, this is officially the longest chapter yet and is also subject to more editing and chopping before I'm totally happy with it; parts of it just don't read well _at all_. Other parts, I'm actually very happy with, but I hope you guys all enjoy it if you can make it to the end. Sorry for the uber-long length of this one; I tried to cut out stuff and edit, but it just messed up the whole flow if I did. XxxxxX

Oh, also a shout-out to "_Death101 - Fox Version_", who was very perceptive with that spider! ^_^

_**Plagiarism:**_ I didn't think I'd ever have to say this, but please don't try to pass off my work as your own. I'm truly flattered by all the alerts, faves and reviews I get, not to mention the awesome PMs too, but plagiarising is not something I'm particularly fond of. A story entitled "_Trophy Wife_" sprung up a few weeks ago, written by a reader of this fic. Someone kindly directed me towards it; the name of Kisara was changed but the bones of the story were a direct copy of mine. The story has since been reported to FF staff, the author contacted and the fic is now deleted. Now, I know it's just a story, but I spend a nice chunk of my free-time working out the plot, detailing characters and ironing out the kinks to make Paper Roses as good as it can be. It's taken me over a year-and-a-half to get this far and it just kinda pissed me off a little that someone decided to take my work and make it their own. I'm just glad of having such great readers that have stuck with Paper Roses for so long! Thanks guys! XxxxxX

* * *

"_Your face I see in every reflection_."

* * *

The light footsteps were expected just before closing time. Ishizu didn't look over her shoulder as the hesitant steps drew closer and closer to her sitting position on a bench in front of the Tablet of Lost Memories. She had spent the last hour or two scanning through as many of her family's handwritten records as she could find, gathering what little information there was on Pharaoh Seth's queen and what kind of danger could possibly threaten her in this lifetime.

"Sit down, Téa. I know why you're here."

The young ballerina did as instructed, not at all phased that Ishizu had heard her entering the silent exhibit. She should have arrived here more than an hour ago, but her courage had betrayed her and the brunette had spent a lot of time arguing with herself to get the deed over and done with.

"Your friend, the Ashbrook girl … I presume you have connected the dots by now?"

Téa nodded her head and glanced up the tablet that had caused all the drama, switching her phone off as she did. The worried girl didn't want anyone interrupting them and giving her a reason to back out of this conversation.

"I knew as soon as she got engaged to Kaiba … Ishizu, I made her remember-"

"You did not; she would have remembered sooner or later and I have it on good faith that she is supposed to remember now. Yugi remembers some things, so does his grandfather, as do I and I'm sure Seto Kaiba has recollections that are not his. Even Odion has begun to recall past events."

A silence crept back into the large room and circled the two young woman staring up at the large stela. Ishizu was the first to move, standing from the bench and approaching the encased tablet. Mirroring Shadi's actions of hours earlier, she placed her hand on the cold glass above the mostly-erased name.

"You can't interfere, Téa. For your own safety you should-"

"She's my friend!"

The Egyptian nodded her head, already expecting the outburst; Téa Gardner was a good friend, she knew that, but things were complicated; even she didn't know what was about to happen or what kind of danger could be on the horizon; the records had turned up no clue about the danger Shadi had spoken of.

"I understand, but things will get dangerous, Téa."

"Things got dangerous with Marik, but you didn't stay away for your own safety."

At those words, Ishizu blinked and looked back at girl; she seemed older than her teenage years right then. Whatever fight had lit up her blue eyes disappeared as Téa glanced down at her hands. When she spoke up again it was in a much quieter tone.

"She died the last time, Ishizu … do you really expect me to stand back and let it happen again?"

"I don't and neither does Shadi."

At the sound of the name, Téa locked her eyes with the older woman's; she hadn't heard of the mysterious man in over three years, not since Atem had left for the afterworld. Ishizu nodded her head in a silent answer before glancing back at the stone tablet. If Kisara had been reincarnated, then surely she was supposed to live this time? Isis, Shimone and Karim had died thousands of years ago and yet she, Solomon Muto and Odion were living their lives like normal … couldn't the same be said for Kisara?

"He has returned for them this time; he does not wish for the past to repeat itself either. You can maintain your friendship with Kisara Ashbrook, but I'm asking you to keep it at just that; a friendship. Don't get involved in anything beyond girls' nights out; Shadi and I will take care of the rest."

Téa nodded her head, almost dumbfounded, as Ishizu walked away toward her office. For whatever reason, she felt better knowing that Shadi was still lurking about. If anyone knew what to do, then it was the cryptic spirit.

* * *

"Toshi was looking for you earlier."

Seto nodded his head at the words; Toshi had found him not long after he had arrived back at the mansion, little Miki in tow as always. The door behind them opened and a few diners emerged and headed off in a different direction, but not before throwing a curious look their way. The past hour-and-a-half had been spent in one of Domino's top restaurants. He had to hand it to the staff though; they had tried their best to keep things private by seating he and Kisara in a corner with a rice-paper screen to the left. Despite that, a number of other guests had seen it fit to glance over now and then, pointing and whispering as they recognised the couple. It would probably be all over the papers tomorrow morning but he didn't care; it had been fun to actually go out for dinner without the pressure of business hanging over the evening.

"He found me; Miki's class will be having their next field-trip at KaibaLand."

Smiling, Kisara nestled closer as they began walking away from the restaurant's door and down the street; he could be so nice when he wanted to be. On his initiative, she'd had one of the best evenings since she'd arrived; the food had been delicious and the conversation highly amusing as Seto had finally explained about Vivian's _Kaiba-poo _nickname and of her variation used for Yugi. When asked who would win the upcoming tournament, Seto had deftly answered that Yugi would without even a second thought, finding it amusing that Vivian planned to beat the King of Games.

"Vivian seemed quite taken with Toshi … I told her he was off-limits though."

The slight frown on Seto's face told her a lot. Despite not knowing the father for very long, Kisara could tell that Toshi and Seto were good friends and she couldn't blame him for not wanting Vivian to pounce the man. Viv was a great friend and the best of confidantes, but she ran through guys like she did outfits and Toshi seemed too genuine to be used like that.

"How old is Toshi?"

"About twenty-seven; they had Miki very young."

A few more steps were taken down the quiet street; Domino's main park seemed to be sleeping as they passed it, preparing for the rushed atmosphere of tomorrow as, even on cold days, people flocked to the landscaped green for a walk. The park had been full of children during the recent snowy spell; many families living in apartments had taken advantage of the public garden to build snowmen, a few still surviving in the shade of trees. She was thinking back to earlier in the day, when Toshi had called her in the street.

"Could you ask him to stop calling me _Ms. Ashbrook_?"

At that question, Seto smiled and nodded his head; Toshi was faultless when it came to politeness, always preferring to call a person by their title or use honorifics. It had taken Seto four months to convince Toshi he could just call him by his first name, that _Kaiba_ wasn't a permanent prefix.

"So what about Koji, how old is he?"

Kisara had to stop herself from saying Muto after the name as she let her mind wander; since learning of Yugi's father she kept mixing up the two Kojis. That aside, she was actually curious as to how old the man was; he was one of those people she found it difficult to assign an age to by merely looking. The smile Seto flashed made her all the more intrigued.

"You won't believe me."

"Try me."

The young man shrugged his shoulders with another smirk. He'd known of Koji since his adoption; the elderly man had been a chief protestor against KaibaCorp's weapon manufacturing plants and had befriended him after the company's conversion into the gaming industry. Koji had looked the same back then as he did today.

"I think he's ninety or ninety-one."

Seeing her shocked look, Seto chuckled lowly and nodded his head; it had surprised him to learn of the man's age a few months ago. For a man in his nineties, Koji was still quite fresh, capable of climbing steps and still participating in the running of his own business despite his impressive age.

"He owns the Kawaii Zoo chain. I think he opened the first zoo about fifty years ago and now has ten across Japan, four in America and a few more dotted around Europe. That's actually the reason I was talking to him today."

"Oh?"

Kisara was still trying to accept the elderly man's age as she raised an eyebrow; she was by no means a business expert, but the young woman was curious of what could tie a gaming corporation and a zoo chain together.

"One of his larger zoos is situated right beside KaibaLand. He was proposing that we join the zoo to KaibaLand at one point, that way people could see both the holographs of my company and the animals of his conservation programmes. Is that Gardner?"

The change in both topic and his tone of voice made Kisara glance up; they were just coming up to Domino's museum building and a brown-haired girl was gingerly making her way down the iced steps. Recognising the pink jacket and pale jeans, Kisara nodded her head and walked forward with a worried look; it was nearing eleven o'clock at night and the city had been dark for a long time, no place for a girl on her own.

"Téa?"

The brunette looked up at the sound of her name, her blue eyes flashing something Kisara couldn't quite distinguish. In an instant, the dancer had found her smile and happy tone once again, raising an eyebrow as she took in her friend's appearance.

"Well, aren't you looking gorgeous tonight!"

Despite her gnawing guilt, Téa meant her words as she smiled wide; it made such a difference to see Kisara in something other than jeans and a hoody. The long white shirt tied in her colourless satin-coated heels and the defining black waisted belt accessorised well with the black denim-leggings.

Only half-hearing the compliment, Kisara explained about her forgetfulness and the reason behind it; she didn't want Téa thinking she was rude. The dancer had been the first friend she had made in Japan, after Mokuba of course.

"I'm so sorry I forgot about the shopping bags; Vivian arrived today and I got really side-tracked …"

"That would be my fault."

Téa let her eyes lock with Kaiba's for only a split second as he stood behind Kisara and spoke with a light smile. It was the first time she'd actually seen him smile towards her with no Mokuba in the vicinity. That said, she could see the seriousness in his eyes, just as she knew he'd seen the guilt in hers. Nodding at the darkened museum, Seto raised an eyebrow, his tone of voice registering with Téa.

"Taking a late tour?"

"Just checking the date when a Degas sculpture arrives."

She knew he didn't believe her, she barely believed herself, but Ishizu had said not to interfere and just stay friends. Finding her smile again, the ballerina looked back to the girl whose back she had just gone behind.

"So Vivian's in Domino now? I hope you still have time for me?"

The puppy-dog eyes served their purpose in making Kisara smile as she nodded her head. Vivian Wong was not Téa's favourite person, but she was good friends with both Kisara and Mai, so the dancer was prepared to suffer the fangirl for the few months that the tournament ran. Téa kept her eyes on Kisara as they wasted a few more minutes talking about the sculpture of the young ballerina she had mentioned; if she looked up, she knew Kaiba would be staring directly at her.

Light footsteps filled Téa with a rush of relief as Yugi approached from the direction of his grandfather's shop; she had arranged to meet him here after her talk with Ishizu, but that talk had finished a little earlier than she had planned and the brunette was not walking through the city in the middle of the night on her own. And if she spent too long talking to Kisara, Téa was pretty sure that her guilt would make her say something stupid.

"Kaiba, Kisara."

"Yugi."

Remembering herself, Kisara smiled as Seto greeted the King of Games, his violet eyes showing nothing but friendliness as he placed an arm around Téa's shoulders.

"Call around for those bags tomorrow; Mai wants to discuss her night out!"

Kisara laughed and nodded as Téa gave her a quick hug before walking away with Yugi; whatever she had seen in her friend's eyes had since disappeared and she wondered if anything had been there in the first place; it had probably just been her imagination.

"Night out?"

Kisara nodded her head with a light smile as they began walking again, away from the silent museum and towards KaibaCorp, where a limo would be waiting in the underground parking lot.

"Mai wants a girls' night out."

"If Valentine wants it, she'll make sure she gets it."

Seto spoke the words lowly as they passed by a television store, the window filled with large screens all showing the same thing; Zigfried and the girl called Rie. A few people were entering and exiting the store, which was still open despite the late time. Electronic stores usually stayed open late after Christmas as it was a prime time for repairs; too-eager children and teenagers garnered the stores a lot of business at this time of year.

"She'll probably be at the launch. Don't even waste your time with her; she'll only give you grief."

Despite his words, Kisara kept looking at the screen, noting Zigfried's expression. Even though he smiled, she could tell he wasn't happy. They'd grown up as friends and she could tell certain things from his constantly-smiling face. The Ashbrooks and Von Schroeders had always been close connections in the business world and she could often remember visiting the archaic castle in the forests of Germany … but then Zigfried's father had had a mental breakdown and Jonathon had never visited the German household again. Her friendship with Zigfried had lasted a little longer, but had ended in their early teens as university and China had called.

"She sounds a catch, why get with her in the first place?"

Forcing her thoughts back to the here and now, Kisara gave the pouting Rie another look and asked the question as she walked a few steps forward, deliberately avoiding the cracks in the pavement for no reason other than fancy. A few more people passed by, each one glancing back as they recognised her, something she was getting used to. Turning in one motion, the young woman placed a hand on her hip, a pose her aunt had disapproved of as it made her look demanding, but that didn't matter as Seto closed the distance, not caring for the pavement cracks whatsoever.

Kisara Ashbrook had always prided herself on not being judgemental or prejudiced against anyone, but she did not like Rie Mitsuru one bit. It had nothing to do with her history as an ex of Seto's … if the young woman was to be biased against all of her fiancé's exes, then she would surely have a long line of enemies by all accounts.

But there was just _something_ that told her to give the model a wide berth, be it the girl's apathetic eyes or her constant claims that she was over "that Kaiba guy". Surely if she was so over him and bagged herself a new man, Rie wouldn't use every opportunity to be quoted as completely moving on from Seto.

"I guess I'm a masochist …"

Smiling at his words, Kisara let her gaze wander back to the television store and its cluttered window; two new faces had just appeared on the numerous screens; one was Leon Von Schroeder, but the other was a girl she didn't recognise in the slightest. She was young, only a teenager, with dark hair and unusually coloured eyes; one of them looked a lighter shade than the other, but it could just be a trick of the light.

Following the confused stare, Seto smirked as he saw the two pictures.

"Suzu Ito; Rebecca's friend. Really good singer, but really shy. Her father's one of my top engineers."

Her mother _had_ worked for KaibaCorp aswell, until she had moved to America with her new man after the big divorce last year, but Seto kept that little event to himself. Suzu had been to the mansion a few times, whether it be with Rebecca or getting Mokuba to help her with some homework. He liked the kid; she was quiet and didn't flounder about like most of Mokuba's female friends tended to.

"Are her eyes-"

"Different colours? Yeah; Suzu has one brown eye and one hazel, it's called heterochromia."

It was one of the reason's the girl was so shy; she'd received a lot of attention in school for the unusual trait and that, coupled with being naturally-timid, had made for a very quiet teenage girl. According to the televisions in the window, Schroeder's brother was inviting her to the launch on Saturday. Seto had no doubt about who had come up with the notion and his hypothesis involved a certain blonde plotter.

A few loud whoops and claps drew the young company-owner's attention back to the televisions yet again; Pegasus had finally confirmed his participation in the tournament and attendance at the upcoming function. It was about time; the old man had been invited months ago and had waited until the last minute to confirm what was already widely known. Trust the tycoon to turn a simple invitation into a theatrical will-he or won't-he. It was just a pity he hadn't though to ban those stupid toon cards; through the years Seto had developed quite a loathing for the idiotic mimicking cards.

"Maximillion?"

At the sound of her voice, the company-owner let his jaw drop a little. If Mokuba had seen the dumbfounded look on his brother's face, or his open mouth, Seto knew the teenager would be in fits of laughter, but he just hadn't expected Kisara to _know_ of Pegasus, let alone address the man by his first name. In the last couple of years the creator of Duel Monsters had fallen out of the spotlight, so to speak, staying on his Duelist Kingdom Island and away from public eyes.

"You know him?"

"Remember when I told you my mother was a pianist?"

Seto nodded his head; she had told him that on her first day in Japan, when he'd shown her the piano upstairs. The CEO watched as Kisara walked forward another few steps, always avoiding the cracks in the sidewalk. He was intrigued about how a piano-playing mother could connect her to the card-game mogul, let alone have her on first-name terms with him.

"Well, she was Maximillion's personal pianist and played at all his functions in Japan and on the island. I haven't seen him since I was four-years-old though … what?"

For the second time that night, Kisara placed a demanding hand on her hip and stared back at her fiancé. Why he looked so shocked was utterly beyond her; he had asked and she had answered.

"You told me she was a pianist … you didn't tell me she was _that_ pianist, Kiyoko Nagasaki?"

Kisara shrugged her shoulders as an answer; her mother had been famous in Japan, renowned for her mastery of the piano and was the presence that had drawn people to the Industrial Illusions' many social gatherings. But Kisara had missed out on all that; she had only been four-years-old when her mother had died and barely remembered the woman, let alone the dying fame that surrounded her name. It had only been thanks to Vivian that she had discovered a Wikipedia page dedicated to Kiyoko Nagasaki. The internet also boasted many other portals to the past with newspaper articles and reviews of her mother's skilled piano-playing, along with images of the Japanese woman with a young blond man.

Satin-coated high-heels haphazardly stepped over and around simple pavement cracks as their owner walked forward again, her mind trying to formulate a change of topic as a tabby-coloured cat streaked across the silent road. The KaibaCorp building loomed into view, its windows darkened and eerie-looking without the usual menagerie of people bustling about within the lobby.

The windows acted as mirrors now, the streetlamps' glare preventing anyone from peering inside the slumbering skyscraper. If she looked hard at one of those darkened windows, Kisara could clearly see how her high cheekbones tapered neatly into the same narrow jaw line as her mother's and her blue eyes juggled the light just like the blond man's. But the reflection also showed a tall figure behind her, placing his black bomber jacket around her shoulders as she shivered and a pair of toned arms resting lightly around her waist.

"Ready to go home?"

One thing the darkened window couldn't show was the happy smile and nod that Kisara responded with as she turned her back on the reflection.

* * *

"Kai, c'mon!"

The red-and-white blur cared nothing for the voice as she raced across the foyer and down the long hall to the right of the staircase, a fluttering sheet of paper in her mouth. After a lapse of a few seconds, the owner of the voice, a half-asleep Mokuba, was seen to follow the puppy's route, yawning as he did so. Hiding a smile, Akari shook her head and looked back to the newest addition to the Kaiba mansion. The new maid had arrived to begin work today and Akari had been tasked with showing her around and telling her how things worked as Kaoru was busy tying up loose ends before her move to Okinawa island.

"So the housekeeper will tell you your duties every morning and when you're finished, you report back to her, okay?"

Akari raised an eyebrow as she asked the question with a friendly smile; she could well-remember being a newbie in the big house over two years ago and knew how daunting it could be. The new girl, Hana, nodded her head and took a few seconds to look about the foyer.

"And where is the housekeeper? Why are you showing me around?"

"Because our current housekeeper is retiring and has yet to be replaced."

A knock on the door was timely answered by the portly Rin, her orders being barked at the nervous interns; two more days until Saturday and the house was beginning to reclaim its busy schedule yet again; shareholders were expected by nine o'clock and the launch organisers were to arrive at ten. Even though it was only gone eight o'clock in the morning, the mansion was already busier than normal; probably not the best of days to break-in a newbie.

Walking over to the large window and out of Rin's way, Akari turned on her heel only to find that Hana was much too preoccupied with watching all the goings-on. Hearing Rin berating one of the interns over a newspaper report, the short maid remembered one of their key rules, something that was told to everyone who worked in the mansion be they a maid, member of the security team or even a gardener.

"Oh, and you're not permitted to tell the press about anything that goes on in this house. Trust me, the newspapers _will_ call you at all times of the night and offer crazy amounts of money for information. If you tell them anything you'll be fired and word will be sent to the agency, got it?"

The only answer Akari received was a dramatic roll of the new maid's eyes and a heaved sigh, as if hearing that was the least of her worries. Biting her tongue, Akari raised an eyebrow and placed a hand on her hip.

"Look, I know the agency probably read you all the rules, but I have to re-iterate them, so just live with it."

Another roll of Hana's eyes answered her and Akari could feel her cheeks getting redder; she hated when people ignored her. When she had started in the Kaiba household, she could remember being hyper with excitement, and yet it seemed an awful effort for Hana to even smile. The pintsize just thanked the fact that Naoki and Yumi had entered through the front door: as the older of the maids, Hana could be their problem for the day.

* * *

"_Now; finish her off!"_

The voice sounded and the huge creature behind the small fat man moved forward, its body a hulking mass of light-coloured skin, eight pointed legs and numerous beady red eyes. It looked like a madman's creation; a combination of both spider and caterpillar. The circular mouth never seemed to close, its gums filled with countless razor-sharp jagged teeth, not unlike pictures of Great White sharks she had once seen. Kisara could feel her knees beginning to shake and buckle as the thing drew closer, suspended in air. The open mouth widened just a little and something like a web spewed forth.

Kisara lost her nerve a little and gasped as the web flew towards her, wrapping its way around her upper arms and keeping her still. The substance was sticky and tight, pinning her arms against her side. Looking down, the young woman found herself atop a square platform with large spikes protruding from the floor and four large chains suspending it from the walls of the surrounding dungeon. Only a sinister darkness lurked beneath the platform. The spider-creature was moving ever closer as the two men shouted jeers at her. She had nowhere to run to and no way to fight back against the approaching beast, though she doubted she could do much against its huge form.

The spider-thing lunged and Kisara screwed her eyes shut.

"_If you want to fight, then fight me_!"

All that followed the familiar voice was the sensation of falling: falling into the darkness that swirled beneath the spiked platform. A strong hand caught her, jolting her to a stop. A bright light and colourless lightning.

Kisara Ashbrook woke with a gasp, falling into her mattress with a cold sweat and a panicked breathing rhythm. It took the spooked girl a few seconds to scan around her bedroom and see no sign of the horrid spider-monster. Pulling her duvet over her head, the young woman took a few deep breaths and tried to calm her pulse before smiling and half-laughing at her own actions. She was twenty-years-old and supposed to be an adult now, and yet here she was; scared senseless by a nightmare and falling out of her sleep in a panic.

Fumbling about for her mobile phone, Kisara noted the time as past eleven o'clock; she really needed to stop sleeping in if it meant another nightmare and headache to boot after two late mornings. Her heart was still beating faster than normal as the young woman threw back her duvet and stood from her bed, thankful that no one could see her check beneath the large bed for spiders. Not finding any, she chalked the nightmare down to the spider of yesterday evening, the one Seto had heroically taken care of. If he wasn't finding her phone for her or making newspaper editors apologise, then her consistent knight in shining armour was battling ferocious arachnids on her behalf.

It took the young woman a mere ten minutes to get dressed, blushing deeply as she looked in the mirror and took note of the darker patch of skin on the left side of her neck. Kisara felt her stomach give a flip as she moved closer to the mirror and ran a gentle finger over the light bruise. She'd been feeling a bit melancholy when they returned to the mansion last night, probably over the prospect of meeting Maximillion again after so many years. True to himself, Seto had made her feel better yet again and the living room couch had been a witness to that until, of course, Mokuba and Rebecca had barged in with a few friends and a large bowl of popcorn.

It had been Seto's quick reflexes to assume a sitting position, pull her with him and pick up the television remote, flicking through channels and creating the guise that they had been there for a while. Fighting back a blush and fit of laughter, Kisara had played along with her fiancé and offered the living room to the teenagers, as though she and Seto had been watching the television for hours and were now bored of it. On the way out of the room, Rebecca had introduced her to Suzu; the girl Leon Von Schroeder was bringing to the launch. Kisara actually felt pity for the girl; Suzu seemed even more timid than she was. Just as Seto had said, Suzu's eyes were indeed two different colours; her right eye was a deep brown whilst her left was a light greenish-hazel. She had never really distinguished between the two colours before but Kisara could clearly see the difference in the teenager's eyes.

A few calls from down the hall drew Kisara's attention back to the present; the house sounded quite busy. For once, both of her sneakers were found in the same place. A piece of black fluff falling from her right trainer caused Kisara to drop the shoe and start back, only calming down once she had realised it wasn't a spider. Walking out into the hall, the young woman made sure to grab her mobile phone and text Téa; she had said she would collect the shopping bags today and she would, after a venture into the left side of the mansion. Heading for the staircase, Kisara tried to steel herself for getting lost in the unexplored half of the mansion, but she really wanted to find the large library Mokuba had mentioned. Having given her geography textbook to Akari, Kisara had the sudden urge to find some new reading material. She had been an avid reader when she was younger; books had been the best way to pass all the hours she had spent flying from one country to another. Unfortunately, she had become rather ignorant of literature after university.

"You haven't seen your other half, have you darling?"

Caught off-guard, Kisara shook her head rather dumbly as Rin stood before her at the top of the stairs, using her customary "darling" as she cast an eye down each corridor, breathing heavily.

"Ummm … no, I haven't."

The short woman shook her head with a friendly smile, or at least as close as Rin could get to one, and turned to walk back down the stairs, muttering loudly as she did so.

"Damned boy is going to make me lose weight …"

Kisara managed to swallow her laugh as she continued on across the landing and into the wilderness of the mansion's left wing. Judging by Rin's height, weight and age, she could guess the secretary's Body Mass Index was a bit on the high side as it was, but declined to say anything of the sort.

It only took the young woman an impressive eight minutes to get well and truly lost in her search for the library. Her pride at being able to find her bedroom, the piano and Seto's study immediately shrunk as Kisara realised how much of a newcomer she still was within the mansion. Pulling her mobile phone from her pocket, Kisara considered texting or calling Mokuba; that _was_ the reason he had given her his number on her first day. But still, judging by how busy the house was, the teenager could be quite preoccupied with KaibaCorp issues: he had been the one filling in for Seto yesterday.

Despite herself, Kisara kept walking forward, knowing full well she was only getting herself further lost. A door a few feet from her opened and the prodigal CEO appeared, stopping short as he noticed her. With one of his ever-present smug smirks, Seto leaned against the doorframe and folded his arms across his chest.

"What's a right-sider like you doing on this side of the house?"

She felt like Belle in Beauty and the Beast, when she had ventured into the room where the enchanted rose resided and knew she shouldn't have been there. Feeling her cheeks beginning to fill with colour, Kisara glanced down at the carpeted floor.

"I … I was looking for the library-"

"I'm only joking, Kisara; you don't have to explain yourself to me."

That made her blush even more and the young woman smiled lightly as her fiancé raised an eyebrow and held out his hand towards her.

"I know what your room looks like: now we can be even."

Kisara shook her head with a wider smile, but still let him take her hand and pull her closer to the open door nonetheless.

"Rin's looking for you."

"She can keep looking, I only got four hours sleep because of her."

That comment drew a full laugh from Kisara as she raised an eyebrow; maybe that old cliché regarding bosses and secretaries was true after all. Registering his words, Seto shook his head and laughed too; he was just glad there was no one else around to quote his poor choice of words.

"Not like that, I meant calls to different time zones!"

"Of course you did … must be the perks of being the boss, huh?"

Kisara smiled all the more as she spoke, feeling familiar hands on her hips. Movement at the other end of the long hall caught her eye for a few seconds; Naoki had just flitted past with a vacuum-cleaner and an unfamiliar girl followed her only a step or two behind. Though she wore a maid's uniform, Kisara had never seen the young woman in the house before.

"That's the new maid, Hana."

Almost as though she had heard her employer's words, the girl called Hana glanced up the hallway towards them. Kisara could have sworn she had seen the maid's eyes narrow, but her attention was timely switched onto something else as the girl disappeared down another hallway with Naoki.

"Your room is actually normal …"

If her aunt had heard her words, Kisara knew she would be in trouble for the comment; she had always been taught that it was rude to remark without being asked to. But she couldn't help herself. Whatever mental image she had created of her fiancé's bedroom over the past few months vanished in an instant: it was just a normal bedroom.

"Don't sound so surprised, Kisara."

Seto raised an arm and let her walk into his room, turning to watch her stare at nothing in particular. Kisara instinctively leaned back against his frame as she took in the whole of the room; it was probably a little larger than her own, the large double-bed was made and a couple of pairs of shoes and trainers littered the floor along with a few garments of clothing: a pair of jeans here and a t-shirt there.

The young woman turned to say something, but let whatever it was vanish form her mind: she was in her fiancé's room and they wouldn't be interrupted this time. Kisara smiled as she felt a light hand brush over the left side of her neck, the gentle touch extending to the tattoo hidden beneath her hair. She made to link her arms around Seto's neck, standing on the tips of her toes to do so; Kisara figured she would soon be as well-trained as Téa to assume _en_ _pointe_.

The first touch was light and fleeting; a simple tease that they were both familiar with by now. The second touch of their lips, however, was a stage they knew only too well, as it was usually interrupted by one thing or another. Kisara kept her arms linked lightly around Seto's neck as she felt his lips leave hers and travel downwards, half-afraid to explore further as it might jinx them and let someone barge through the semi-closed door.

A light nip below her current lovebite sent the young woman's temperamental stomach into a frenzy of somersaults as her breathing rate hastened of its own accord. Another deep kiss and Kisara could feel herself walking backwards, being steered lightly. Despite herself, the young woman managed to get a few words out as she took more steps back.

"Seto, the …"

Anything else was swallowed by a fierce kiss, one she knew she returned with the same fervour. Even though she hadn't gotten the whole sentence out, Kisara smirked into the kiss as she registered the door being kicked closed without even a glance. With the prospect of someone barging in removed from the equation, Kisara moved one of her hands to rest on a defined bicep, feeling the muscle move smoothly beneath the skin. A few more steps backwards were taken and, although she was expecting it, she still managed to lose her balance as she collided with the side of the bed. Strong arms stopped her from landing rather ungracefully and instead lowered her in their own time.

A deep kiss followed and Kisara could feel the room becoming too hot. Another light nip at her neck made the young woman gasp slightly, unintentionally digging into soft flesh with her fingernails. A hand glided up and down her thigh, not asking for anything or attempting to quicken the pace: a simple touch was enough.

And just as cold air danced over her stomach, along with Seto's hand, a shrill ringing noise barged its way between them. Kisara smiled as her fiancé's phone kept up its ringing, eventually vibrating off of his bedside table and landing on the carpet with a thump.

"Ignore it …"

She didn't need to be told twice as lips reclaimed her own, moving swiftly downwards to her jaw line and neck, but the phone seemed rather indignant at being ignored. From its place on the floor, the small mobile began its shrill call for attention once again, ultimately ringing out four times. It became obvious that the caller wasn't going to stop calling until answered.

"For fuck-"

Kisara giggled as she heard the muttered swear: it was the first time she had actually heard Seto curse and the young woman couldn't help but remember Aki's words from the day before. She received one more light kiss, almost an apology as Seto reclaimed the offending mobile phone.

"What, Rin?"

From her position, sitting on the side of the bed, Kisara could hear the secretary responding to Seto's annoyed voice with a few sharp words of her own, followed by a tirade of abuse for playing hide-and-seek on her. Not even waiting for the irate woman to finish, Seto nodded his head.

"Yeah, yeah … I'll be down in a few minutes, keep your pants on."

That earned him another earful from Rin, but the abuse went unheard as the young CEO pressed the red end-call button, knowing she would make him pay for it later. There were times when he loved owning a company; he like the respect he garnered from other businessmen, the money he earned, the surety that Mokuba would never be left wanting something … but there were also times when Seto Kaiba _despised_ having such a workload. It had never bothered him so much before his twenty-first birthday, but ever since she'd walked into his life, the young man honestly regretted having to divide his time.

"Work calling?"

What made that regret worse was the understanding voice Kisara asked the question in, as if she expected him not have time for her. Had it been anyone else, like Rie, then he would have gladly turned his back and walked out of the room, intent on getting some KaibaCorp matters dealt with. He would have agreed flat-out and simply walked away, but Seto Kaiba did none of those things: he sat on the edge of his own bed and shook his head.

"No, she just wanted to be sure I was free tonight."

A raised eyebrow made Kisara laugh at the innuendo. Leaning towards him, she accepted that they were indeed jinxes upon each other and doomed to interruptions. The young woman smiled as she felt Seto's hand running up and down her arm, the smile fizzling into a blush as she noticed three or four small red marks shaped like crescent moons.

"Did I do that?"

Seto blinked and shrugged his shoulders as Kisara stood from the bed and examined his left bicep, guilt threatening to appear in her sapphire eyes. Accepting he had work to do, he also stood from the bed and walked towards the door, pulling his fiancée with him.

"I told you I was a masochist."

* * *

The entrance back into the foyer was something both of the couple found embarrassing as Rin stood sentry at the foot of the stairs like a mother annoyed with two teenagers. The portly woman's harsh gaze softened though when she noticed Kisara beside her employer: maybe he was allowed some time off now and again.

Being such a kind person, by her own reckoning, Rin even allowed the happy couple a few seconds of privacy as Ms. Ashbrook headed for the city to collect some shopping bags: just because she walked into the next room as they kissed didn't mean Rin Sado was against eavesdropping just a little.

Hearing footsteps approaching the room, Rin grabbed the remote control and switched on the television: no use getting caught spying. The footsteps slowed on the carpet and the middle-aged woman smiled to herself as she kept looking at the large television; she could feel him staring holes into the back of her head.

"Did I interrupt something, _sir_?"

Giving up on trying to glare her to death, Seto Kaiba smirked lightly and leaned against the back of the couch as Rin kept her gaze directed at the news channel.

"I should fire you …"

"You say that every second week, and you still haven't. Oh look, it's your future uncle-in-law … wait, does that even count or is it just parents and siblings that become in-laws?"

Looking to the large screen, Seto let Rin's babbling about in-laws drone away. Jonathon Ashbrook was on-screen announcing a new branch of the Ashbrook Estates opening in Napa Valley. Apparently the experimental branch in the United States had worked out much better than they had hoped for.

But it wasn't Kisara's family business that garnered Seto's attention; it was her uncle. He was past middle-age, maybe in his fifties and on the way to sixty. He had hair that had probably been blond once but now a white-grey, with a matching beard. The beard reached up to his lower lip at one point but disappeared altogether once off of the chin with no sideburns. What had once been a strong face was now hollowed at the cheekbones with almost sunken brown eyes.

Tiring of the news, Rin clicked her fingers before her employer's eyes, but to no use: he was probably ignoring her on purpose because of her interrupting. It took the secretary only a few more seconds to grow bored of the situation and exit the living room.

But KaibaCorp's owner wasn't being spiteful as he ignored the short woman: he was just too focused on the appearance of Kisara's uncle. The eyes, nose, chin … it was none of those individual characteristics that kept Seto Kaiba rooted to the spot. Individually they all meant nothing, but when assembled together the appearance struck a sickening chord within Seto's memory. He'd seen the man before, and not eight years ago in Germany. Three years of pretending it had all been a bad dream seemed wasted as alarm bells began to ring in the young man's mind. The French man had haunted his nightmares for the past few months, always appearing to quench the light.

Seto had seen Jonathon Ashbrook five thousand years ago to be exact, when he had locked the Blue-Eyes in that stone tablet. When he had cornered them in the temple's courtyard - when he had killed Kisara.

_Aknadin …_

* * *

**A/n- Soooo ... thanks a million for battling you way through this monster of a chapter guys; you know I love you for it! The next chapter is gonna be the tournament launch, so pretty dresses, rich peoples and lots of drama! XxxxxX**

2nd Revision - 7/March/2011


	28. Hinged

**Author's Note:** Well, it's less than a month since my last update, so that's kinda good for me! Ummm, this is most definitely the longest chapter yet at about ten-thousand-plus words and I want to apologise for that; I honestly didn't intend for it to be so long. The KaibaCorp function will be finishing up in the next chapter as it would have just dragged this one on and on. I want to say thanks to my twin sis, _**Renolvr**_, who helped re-jig a few things and is my constant Beta-reader for this fic, making it what it is. Anyways, I hope you all like it! XxxxxxxX

Also, to "_SeekerofAncientLegend_", who asked for more growth between Seto and Kisara, the ending is for you. And the part I told you about in the PM will be coming up soon. (wink-wink!)

* * *

"_A place to crash, / I got you_"

* * *

"Naoki, will you get that please?"

Aki was the one calling over her shoulder as she led a number of accountants up the stairs and towards Mr. Kaiba's study. The older maid nodded her head and made for the front door, where the doorbell had just sounded for the umpteenth time that day. A group of KaibaCorp media representatives stood on the doorstep, with another throng of people arriving at the base of the steps behind them.

"Yumi will bring you to meeting room 1 … actually make that 2."

Naoki shook her head lightly as she corrected herself and the business-people filed past her into the foyer, where Yumi was waiting. The mansion housed four separate meeting rooms and they were fast becoming occupied. Hopefully the approaching number of KaibaLand staff would be the last group for a while.

"If you'd follow me to meeting room 3-"

"I've got this one, Naoki. KaibaLand people to room 1 with me, anyone for the budget plan go to room 4; Roland will fill you in until Seto's free."

The middle-aged maid let loose a sigh of relief as Mokuba appeared from the kitchen, apple in hand. How the teenager could be smiling happily was a mystery to her; the mansion was beyond busy today. It was only just approaching the lunch hour and already over a dozen meetings had taken place since before eight that morning. As the clock ticked on, the busy atmosphere only increased. With the big launch only mere hours away the mansion still had quite a number of guests to expect.

Kimiko was on duty upstairs, rescuing any lost visitors and re-directing them back to meetings. The new girl, Hana, was tasked with cleaning the halls and keeping them clear of obstructions. Aki was leading people to and fro from the meetings along with Yumi. Little Akari was on phone-duty all day with Rin, a chore Naoki didn't envy one bit, and the remaining four maids were trying to carry out the normal housework that still needed to be done.

As Kai barked from within the living room, the maid took a few minutes of rest in the now-empty foyer; they had confined the hyper dog in the room earlier for fear she would be stood on. The husky had been quiet for the first few hours with food, water and as many chew-toys as it pleased her to destroy, but it sounded like Kai was getting a bit bored.

Naoki let her mind wander as Kai growled at the door, formulating a mental list of what still had to be done; people from Industrial Illusions were to arrive yet along with a stylist due for Ms. Ashbrook and Rebecca, the limo fleet were to assemble by four and she had to collect meat for dinner, wash her son's football kit and get the house ready for the big count-down tonight to bring in the new year.

The maid jolted her attention back to the present as her home-life chores decided to barge in on her work: Rin had just walked towards the living room and Naoki was too slow to warn her before Kai made a break for freedom. The fast-growing puppy scampered up the stairs in a matter of seconds, barking excitedly the whole way. Naoki merely smiled as Rin shot her an _oops_ look. With a half-hearted laugh, the older maid noticed Kimiko on her way down the stairs; she was young and could run a lot faster than a middle-aged mother of three.

"Kimiko, could you get her please?"

The younger maid nodded her head with a smile; she had been intending to check for any stragglers downstairs, but catching Kai seemed a little bit more fun than leading lost businessmen around. Knowing the little husky and her habits, Kimiko headed for the right-side of the mansion, towards the foyer with the piano; the puppy would head for Ms. Ashbrook's room. It was just a pity that Kai only made it as far as Mr. Kaiba's study; the maid knew one or two shortcuts that bypassed the long halls.

"Gotcha!"

Kimiko laughed lightly as Kai tried to wriggle free and get to her owner's bedroom; the little pup had grown quite a lot. The maid shook her head as she kept her grip on the puppy and headed back towards the stairs. Ms. Ashbrook wasn't even in the mansion today; she had gone into Domino a few hours ago on Rebecca's demand. Passing by Mr. Kaiba's study, Kimiko stopped as she registered the door to be open; Mr. Kaiba was in meeting room 3 right now, due in room 4 straight afterwards. Even Mokuba and Roland were in meetings right now, so there should have been no one in the study unless someone else got lost yet again …

Kimiko poked her head into the room and looked about, ready to find a lost intern or accountant, but none of those people were the ones to be seen in the room. The maid narrowed her eyes as she registered the intruder; the staff weren't allowed into the study unless it was to pass on a message.

"What are you doing in here?"

Kimiko asked the words with a sharp tone as she walked across the room and placed a few documents back into drawers, holding Kai under one arm as she did. Hana jumped as she heard the voice. It took her only a second to look to the floor and wring her hands in a nervous fashion.

"I … I got lost, and I didn't want to call anybody … I'm such a newbie."

The sharp tone in Kimiko's voice disappeared and her eyes softened; maybe she shouldn't have been so harsh. Walking away from the large desk, she noticed how Hana followed her guiltily with a blush; the house was huge and even she and Akari had gotten lost a few times in the past.

"Sorry for snapping, it's just that we're not supposed to be in here unless we have news for Mr. Kaiba. And if you ever get lost again, just give me a shout; I promise I won't tell anyone, okay?"

The friendly smile and slight wink from Kimiko was returned with a happy smile as Hana stood in the hall and the quiet maid pulled the study door closed behind her, just about hanging on to the husky pup. What Kimiko didn't see though was the roll of Hana's eyes and sly smile that crept across her lips; she'd seen what she needed to see in that study.

* * *

Rin Sado checked her watch once again; she had checked it about ten times now, but still waited for the larger hand to reach twelve before waking him. Waiting for the minutes to tick by, the secretary glanced out one of the large floor-to-ceiling windows; it had become dark outside about two hours ago, give or take a little, but the media world had lit up in contrast.

Already there were countless photographers and reporters gathered outside KaibaLand's main building. Although it was smaller than the KaibaCorp HQ skyscraper, the building flaunted a much grander function room and had a large landscaped garden to the back, where holograms would be displayed for entertainment. Holding the launch at KaibaLand also prevented any delays that might occur if held in Domino's city centre. At least the weather had held and no more snow had fallen today; the grounds of the Kaiba mansion looked eerily pretty as remnants of the current snowy-spell glinted under a full moon.

The house had finally quietened down over an hour ago and it had been then that Rin had noted her employer's absence. She and one of the maids, Akari, had been kept busy on the phone all day and Rin admitted she was impressed by the small-sized maid; it had taken one particularly annoying reporter for the girl to snap and give him an earful.

In search for the elusive Seto Kaiba, Rin's first port of call had been his bedroom, believing the young man to be choosing play over work, just as he had two days ago. Unfortunately that had been a bust, as Ms. Ashbrook had returned to the mansion just as Rin had begun her search. The girl only had a few seconds to smile in greeting before she was spirited away by Rebecca as a stylist appeared and followed suit.

Another fifteen minutes of fruitless searching had allowed Rin to encounter the new maid; she wasn't sure about that girl at all. It had been the puppy, Kai if she remembered correctly, to lead her to the living room. Any anger she had been feeling at having to play find-the-CEO again abandoned the woman as she located her boss; stealing some sleep on the couch.

Rin admitted that she sometimes forgot how young Seto Kaiba was. If he had banked a few hours sleep last night, he was lucky. She had called at four in the morning with a European KaibaCorp branch manager. Despite the early hour, her employer had answered his mobile phone almost instantly, as though he hadn't even been drowsy. From four until seven-thirty she had kept him busy with calls from different time zones, and then countless meetings had consumed the rest of the day. It didn't surprise the secretary one bit that the young man had been tired; not everyone could live off of a caffeine-addiction like she could.

Registering the larger hand on her watch to be now well-past the hour, the short woman turned away from the window and back towards the couch. It took only one light shake of his shoulder for his eyes to snap open in confusion.

"Rin?"

The woman smiled and nodded before walking to the switch on the wall and flicking it on, letting the darkened room light up in an instant. Unprepared for the bright light, Seto blinked and covered his eyes against the glare, groaning as he did so. He couldn't believe he had fallen asleep on today of all days; there was still so much to be done before the launch started. Looking out the window, the company-owner took note of the darkness.

"What time is it and how long've I been-"

The end of the question was cut off by a deep yawn and an excited bark from Kai as she noticed her owner to be moving. Growling, the puppy occupied herself by attacking a discarded shoe.

"You've been asleep for an hour, maybe two and it's just gone seven, sir."

Checking his own watch, Seto Kaiba groaned again and mentally kicked himself; the launch officially started at eight, which meant he had less than an hour left to sort things out and get ready. He had to make sure the limo fleet was ready to go, that everything was prepared at KaibaLand and then to have a shower and give Kisara a heads-up about all the press.

"Shit, Kisara-"

"Has been upstairs with a stylist and young Rebecca for the past hour. From what I heard passing her room, Rebecca is giving Ms. Ashbrook a crash-course on all the paparazzi and what to expect."

Rin hid a smile as she answered; she noticed how his first thought had been about Ms. Ashbrook and not business-matters.

"What about-"

"A spokesperson for Industrial Illusions already called to the mansion on Pegasus' behalf; Mokuba dealt with him."

"The limo fleet?"

"Deployed since six, and everything is ready to go at KaibaLand, sir."

A knock on the door of the living room gained Rin's attention as she flashed her employer a smug smile. One of the maids was standing by the doorframe with a steaming mug in her hands and dressed in casual clothes. Seto missed whatever words had been spoken by the door as he tried to wrestle his shoe from a protective Kai, letting her have it in the end.

"Here, get that into you and go have a shower; Mokuba's almost ready and the girls will be ready in a little while."

"Was that Yumi?"

Seto asked the question as he took the hot cup of coffee from his secretary and gladly drank it, hoping it might wake him up a bit more; he was sure it had been the older maid by the door, dressed in normal clothes; surely the maids should have clocked-out over an hour ago. Rin nodded her head with a smile.

"The maids decided to stay and get a look at the dresses. Well, at first it was just little Akari and her friends, but the rest decided to stay aswell, except for that new girl … what's-her-face?"

"Her name's Hana, and play nice, Rin."

"If she doesn't like cleaning why bother becoming a maid?"

Seto shook his head with a smile as he stood from the couch, leaving his shoe with Kai, and headed for the door of the living room; he should really get a move on and get ready.

"She just needs to settle in; you didn't like your job when you started."

"That's because my boss was a pain in the neck … still is, actually."

And there she was; that was the Rin he knew so well. Even compared to Roland, Rin was the most fearless of all his staff, not afraid to give him an earful now and again. That was the reason Gozaburo had sacked her all those years ago; because the secretary wasn't very good at keeping her opinion to herself and had insisted the old man had been much too hard on his adopted son. After that son had taken over KaibaCorp, Rin had been reinstated in a matter of weeks.

"Seto?"

That made him glance back into the living room with a raised eyebrow; Rin only called him by his first name when she was being serious. Though it was probably the light playing tricks, the young man saw something in his secretary's eyes that he didn't recognise, but it was gone in a second and taken over by the smug grin she sported.

"Don't get too hungover; you're repaying those two hours of sleep tomorrow, boy."

A nod was her only answer as the CEO made his way across the foyer and up the staircase. One or two of the maids flitted past him with excited smiles, all of them wearing normal clothes and Akari in another noticeably too-large hoody. Entering his room after a few minutes of walking, Seto placed the now-empty mug on his chest of drawers and headed for his en-suite, turning on the shower and walking back out into his room. Discarding his shirt on the floor, the company-owner glanced at his bed; still perfectly made since yesterday morning. It was no wonder he had fallen asleep, having pulled an all-nighter partially due to Rin's calls. That said, he had been wide awake when Rin had called at four am. He hadn't slept much in the past two days at all, not since he'd seen Kisara's uncle on the television.

What was he supposed to do? Tell Kisara to be wary of her uncle and when she asked why to tell her about this past life he had once seen and freak her out by telling her what happened? Apart from sounding like he'd lost his mind, he'd sound awfully morbid telling her he had watched her die a few thousand years ago. And there was nothing to say that Jonathon Ashbrook would hurt her; he was her guardian, her flesh and blood. Maybe it was all just a coincidence that he looked so much like that Aknadin guy. But Seto Kaiba had never really believed in coincidences.

Kisara was in Japan, Jonathon Ashbrook was either in Europe or the United States … as long as he stayed there then everything would be fine. Seto stared at his own reflection in the mirror, taking in the dark circles under his eyes and the scar above his left eyebrow. He had wanted to get her away from KaibaCorp the day of the earthquake and he was reassured that she had his locket; did those feelings have anything to do with what he had seen three years ago? Shaking his head with a groan, Seto made his way back to the en-suite and pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind.

* * *

A Mystic Horseman charged at a Battle Ox, the two creatures pulling up short and merging to form the Rabid Horseman. In the next instant, a horde of Mystic Elves had appeared, chanting with their hands clasped and eyes closed. A Winged Kuriboh zoomed above the elves, being chased playfully by a Baby Dragon. Almost as though flaunting its superiority to all these other Duel Monsters, a telltale roar and bright flash announced the arrival of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

Impressed claps and excited chatter greeted the dragon's appearance, along with countless flashes as photographers clicked their shutters closed and camera-men and women either side of the red carpet aimed their lenses skywards to capture the holograms on film. In contrast to KaibaCorp's trademark monster, a black dragon with red eyes was the next to appear in the sky above the crowd. In a matter of seconds, the cameras had moved from the new monster to its most well-known owner, standing on the red carpet with his blonde girlfriend, whose Harpie Ladies had just materialised in front of the Mystic Elves.

The arrival of a limo at the end of the red carpet reclaimed the attention of the press, the purple rose-decal revealing who the guests were. In a hail of bright flashes, Zigfried Von Schroeder had stepped out onto the red carpet, this time in an ordinary black and white tux, with a young woman only a step behind him. A young girl called for an autograph, all other duelists having signed their names when asked by a fan, but this girl's request went unanswered as Rie Mitsuru decidedly strutted her stuff up the red carpet. The young model stayed in the middle of the carpet, not too enticed to approach the railings and answer a few questions, as everyone else was doing.

Another SchroederCorp decal adorned the side of the next limo, with the younger of the Schroeder brothers appearing on the carpet, an unknown girl by his side, already blushing as Leon spoke words in her ear before moving up the carpet a little and gravitating towards the railings holding back fans and paparazzi. KaibaCorp security stood along the railings at ten-foot intervals, the shaded men and women ensuring that nobody jumped the barriers onto the carpet.

Vivian Wong was the next to appear, dressed in a tight Chinese Cheongsam, the white silk interrupted by red lotus flowers and a golden dragon chasing its way up to the ex-model's neckline. At the arrival of the Chinese woman, the paparazzi pushed in closer to the railings; over the past few days it had become common knowledge that the duelist was good friends with Kisara Ashbrook, the two being spotted out on Domino together.

Following Vivian up the red carpet were the next guests to arrive; the reigning King of Games and his girlfriend. The reporters pushed against the railings yet again in a bid to talk to Téa Gardner, knowing her to be almost as close to the European as Vivian Wong was. Held in place by the KaibaCorp security team, the press soon moved their attention onto the next limo pulling up to the red carpet; the italicized FP design announced the arrival of Fujiwara Pharmaceutical's owner. Cameras zoomed in and flashed as Toshi Fujiwara stood out onto the carpet, immediately moving towards a group of reporters and satisfying them with a few answers.

A Shadow Ghoul appeared in the sky above the gathered people, its many beady red eyes training onto the Baby Dragon, but a Time Wizard was quick in transforming the juvenile into Thousand Dragon. The figure of Dark Magician took care of the troublesome Shadow Ghoul while Dark Magician Girl hung back, watching with a cheeky smile. The trademark Solid Vision holograms were seemingly ignored as yet another limousine pulled up, its decal being an elegantly-written Industrial Illusions.

As the creator of Duel Monsters stood out onto the red carpet, the crowd greeted him with excited cheers; for months now it had been a mere rumour that Maximillion Pegasus would participate in the new tournament and, even when the man himself confirmed it, nobody would believe it until they saw him in Japan. In response to the arrival of Pegasus, the holograms above made room for the appearance of Toon World and the Toon monsters the man was so well-known for. A Toon Archer Girl peeked out from her shell whilst a Toon Blue-Eyes White Dragon stared up at the real Blue-Eyes rather fearfully.

"Oh, wow … they all look so real …"

Seto smirked and nodded his head as Kisara glanced out the window beside him; she was fixated on the holograms in the sky above the red carpet. It had been Mokuba's idea to use their holographic imagery system to generate holograms at the fore of the building; it would keep the guests and press occupied while everyone arrived.

"They'd be better quality if they were closer to the ground; see the stars through the Red-Eyes' feet?"

Kisara nodded her head as Seto indicated the point where the hologram began fading. She didn't care though, being too caught-up by the huge monsters in the sky. Watching the monsters on the television and her laptop was one thing, but it was truly astounding how _real_ they appeared; the dragons actually breathed in and out as she watched them and the Dark Magician blinked and yawned while his female counterpart pouted and sighed.

"We're up next …"

Kisara tore her eyes away from the large white dragon as Seto spoke; Mokuba and Rebecca had just exited the limo ahead of them, being greeted by shouting reporters and fans. She smiled as Leon Von Schroeder approached them, the quiet Suzu by his side. Rebecca was quick in putting an arm around her blushing friend and whispering a few words in her ear. Kisara felt grateful towards the blonde; for over an hour Rebecca had given her a run-down of what to expect at the launch. There would be lots of press and she would have to answer questions, but hopefully Seto would take care of most of that. She had also been told there would be lots of people asking for autographs and that she'd have to pose for a lot of pictures; all the press lined up by the red carpet had paid substantial amounts of money to gain a place by the railing, so questions were allowed, along with photographs.

Rebecca had been a great help in getting ready for tonight, making sure conversation was always kept going whilst the stylist, Rika, worked away. Kisara found she quite liked Rika; the woman seemed kind and laughed a lot, especially when she had seen the glass rose in her room. Apparently the mohawk-girl was her cousin and was studying alternative art in university, with the glass figurines earning the student her weekly income. Upon going downstairs, both Kisara and Rebecca had been surprised to see the line-up of casually-dressed maids in the foyer with Mokuba shrugging his shoulders. Akari had even nodded her head and winked as she saw the dress; despite her initial reckoning the heiress had indeed chosen to wear the corset-dress.

Kisara let loose a shaky sigh as Kosuke pulled up at the end of the red carpet, feeling her stomach knotting itself in seconds. A loud roar from the white dragon above seemed to direct all cameras and eyes towards their limo as Seto reassuringly laced his fingers between hers. A light kiss on the cheek seemed to un-knot her troublesome stomach a little.

"You'll be fine."

She wished she felt as certain as Seto's words sounded, but took a deep breath as he opened the door of the limo and kept her hand in his. Only as she felt Seto's hand pulling her into the flashing lights did Kisara glance at the rear-view mirror, where kindly grey eyes were watching her with a smile.

"Thanks, Kosuke."

And with that smiled thanks, the sanctity of the limo was abandoned and Kisara found herself back in the pressure-cooker atmosphere of a red carpet. Cameras flashed in her eyes and shouts emanated from both side of the carpet as the large white dragon let loose another loud roar and a colourless flash of lightning raced by overhead, towards the smaller Toon version. Unable to stop herself, Kisara glanced up at the life-like holograms, still in awe of how realistic they seemed to her novice eyes.

A light hand around her waist drew the young woman's gaze away from the virtual monsters, a blush immediately beginning to creep into her cheeks as reporters shouted from all sides. Kisara felt her stomach knot once again as the limo disappeared from the end of the carpet and she noticed just how far away the doors of KaibaLand's building seemed to be. The knots eased though as she noticed a few friendly faces along the carpet; Téa was smiling her way and Vivian had just winked coyly as she chatted up a male reporter. An excited wave from Rebecca earned a smile from Kisara as she took a few steps forward, keeping right beside Seto the whole time as the reporters behind the railing pushed closer and closer.

"Ready to answer a few questions?"

The enquiry was accompanied by a shift of the hand on her waist as Seto stood closer. Kisara glanced at the countless questioning faces, mind flashing back to the bentō competition and the many journalists that had swamped them. She could surely manage a few answers this time around; there was a railing separating the paparazzi from them and KaibaCorp security lined it too, not like the crush of reporters in Domino all those weeks ago. The young woman nodded her head lightly, answering with an apprehensive smile.

"Only if you stay with me …"

That answer earned a laugh from KaibaCorp's owner as he too nodded his head and walked closer to the railings.

"Don't worry, I will."

Countless cameras flashed as they reached the barriers, with questions being thrown from every direction imaginable. This event was a lot more media-orientated than Zigfried's opening launch had been, but Kisara noticed how her blush didn't jump straight into view as she leaned away from the railings ever so slightly, knowing her fiancé's taller frame would be behind her.

"Ms. Ashbrook, after a few months here, how do you find Japan?"

"I … umm, I'm g-getting used to it now."

She was blushing, Kisara could tell from how flushed her cheeks suddenly seemed to feel. The blush was prevented from deepening in colour as the hand on her hip moved to lightly squeeze her left hand, fingers finding their way between hers once again. The reporters fell silent for a few seconds as they scribbled down her answer. In the midst of the busy journalists, a young girl about Rebecca's age pushed her way to the railings, holding out a pen and small booklet.

"Mr. Kaiba, Ms. Ashbrook! Can I have-"

The youngster suddenly disappeared as the reporters pushed forward yet again, throwing questions about and taking no notice of the girl who had struggled to get ahead of them. True, the girl probably didn't pay money to get to the railings, but she had more than likely been waiting hours at this stage. As a journalist placed a small dictaphone in front of her, Kisara opened her mouth to speak, but was beaten to the punch as Seto's hand gripped the railing.

"Could you stand back for a few seconds?"

The female reporter looked unsure for a moment but pulled back her dictaphone and stood to the side, confused by the company-owner's request. A few other questioning journalists also followed suit and stood to the side, all looking confused. It was only as most of the reporters had stood back and to the side that Seto spoke again.

"What did you want to ask?"

The teenaged girl looked about for a few seconds before realising he was talking to her. With a bright blush, the youngster approached the railing again, holding the same black pen and small paper notebook in her hands. Upon reaching the metal barrier, the girl's blush deepened all the more as Seto Kaiba looked down at her.

"C-can I have both of y-your auto … autographs, please?"

Kisara couldn't help but smile lightly as Seto nodded his head and took the pen from the stuttering girl; some of the reporters scribbled down on their notepads as the CEO penned his name in cursive. Writing her own name on the piece of paper was a new experience for Kisara, but one she would definitely become used to as the girl smiled her thanks and disappeared back into the crowd, letting the journalists push forward again, all asking for autographs and quotes.

Dozens more questions were thrown at them as the couple slowly advanced up the red carpet, most of the queries being answered by Seto. Once or twice Kisara answered, though her cheeks became flushed when she did. Compared to the terrified mess she had been at Zigfried's launch, the young woman felt quite proud of herself as she caught Mai winking at her from further up the railing.

"_Domino Fashion Weekly_, Ms. Ashbrook who are you wearing this evening?"

It took a few seconds for the question to click in her mind that _who_ meant the designer of the corset-dress, something she had declined to investigate before donning the gown.

"I'm n-not quite sure …"

Hoping for an answer, Kisara glanced up at Seto; the dresses had been at the mansion before she had, surely he'd have a clue who designed some of them. A slight shrug was the first answer she received before Seto found the small label just inside the back of the corset, chuckling slightly as he read the name.

"It's a Koriscova."

Why that name sounded familiar as the reporter wrote it down and thanked them for the time was beyond Kisara. A few more questions from the other side of the carpet, along with a couple of photographs along the way; the red carpet finally seemed to be shortening in length as Mokuba and Rebecca appeared beside them, trying to escape a particularly obsessed fangirl who was warning Rebecca to watch her back. Decidedly distancing herself from the fan, the teenager approached her boyfriend's brother and spoke to Kisara with a wide smile.

"I hope that nasty Kaiba is taking care of you!"

The smile and wink seemed to take any bite out of Rebecca's words as the blonde shot Seto an innocent look. The turquoise dress really suited the girl's blue eyes and her pinned-up curled hair made her seem a lot older than fifteen. A nearby journalist interrupted, asking Kisara who her stylist had been, creating her side-slung fishtail plait. The heiress was able to answer the question this time, though with a little help from Rebecca. Finally free of the clingy fangirl, with the help of a KaibaCorp security agent, Mokuba appeared behind his girlfriend a little while later, indicating a spot behind his right shoulder and looking to his brother.

"Talk to the wicked witch yet?"

"No, though Kai would have great fun with that dress."

Looking to the woman Mokuba had indicated, both Kisara and Rebecca swallowed giggles at Seto's answer; Rie Mitsuru's shiny silver dress had an uncanny resemblance to the tinsel that had become Kai's favourite chew-toy in the past few weeks. A few calls from the railing heralded more pictures, the photographers wanting both Kaiba brothers in the shot with their respective partners. More questions, a few venturing to ask about the complicated mechanisms that produced the holograms in the sky. It was only as all guests made their way towards the doors of KaibaLand's building that a new voice entered between the shouted calls from the railings.

"Long time no see, Kaiba-boy."

"Pegasus."

The light smile Seto Kaiba wore as he greeted Pegasus was a heavily-guarded one. Despite once being good friends with the creator of Duel Monsters, the happenings of Duelist Kingdom still hung in the air and he only dealt with Pegasus when necessary, usually via their companies. But the media world was looking and he had invited the man to participate in the tournament, so the young company owner had to play the welcoming host. It didn't take too long for Pegasus' one hazel eye to change target, his smile softening from the aristocratic smirk he usually sported.

"My, how you've grown, Kisara."

"M-Maximillion …"

A small nod with just a hint of a blush was his answer as Kisara pulled closer to young Kaiba, but Pegasus was prevented from saying anything else as one rather stubborn journalist called him over to the barriers for a few last questions. Taking his place to her right was a man Kisara recognised from Zigfried's opening function; he was the CEO of a stock-brokers branch. The obese man looked her way and flashed what was probably meant to be a kind smile, but came across much more inappropriate.

"I must get your e-mail, Ms. Ashbrook; my wife would very much like to meet you."

Kisara nodded slightly and responded with what she hoped was an agreeing smile; why ask for her e-mail when he knew Seto? It was only as the rotund man disappeared to speak with a few more guests that Seto leaned down to speak in her ear.

"Don't give him your e-mail, or your number or anything."

"Why?"

It was another new voice to answer her question, but one she happily recognised as Toshi appeared where the fat man had stood a few seconds ago.

"For one, he has an obsession with Rick-rolling people. Don't get me wrong, it's funny for a while but after hearing Rick Astley a few dozen times too many I'm over the novelty."

Kisara couldn't help but giggle lightly at the answer; surely that internet trick for was teenagers and the like, not grown men. But Toshi wasn't finished answering as he shot the man in question a judgemental look.

"And reason number two, that young lady by his side isn't his wife; she's a company-employee he chose to invite. His wife's at home with four small kids and not glamorous enough to bring onto the red carpet … at least that's what he told me at Schroeder's thing."

Looking over at the hefty CEO, Kisara was quite glad to have Seto beside her and that they were now walking through the doors of KaibaLand's building. Two familiar faces stood sentry by the doors, both men in black suits and wearing dark shades with earwigs in their left ears. Though Isamu kept his gaze trained on the media frenzy to his right, Kisara noticed the small smile Roland sent her way and felt her cheeks redden just a little.

* * *

Almost two hours had passed since they entered through the front doors of the building and it was the first time Kisara found herself sitting down. As soon as they entered the large function room, Seto had been dragged from one side of the huge room and back to the other by countless guests. Looking around, the same could be said for Mokuba and Yugi too.

It was only as Téa and Rebecca had waved her over to one of the many tables that the young woman had made her polite excuse and joined them, glad to be off her feet for a few minutes. Feeling arms hug her from behind, Kisara let loose a tired laugh as Vivian half-hugged her and Mai plopped down into the chair beside Rebecca.

"Well, you told us you were wearing pink, you didn't say it was designer, hun!"

At those words from Mai, Kisara could feel Vivian inspecting the label just as Seto had. A small slap to her shoulder was Viv's response as she sat beside Mai and nodded her head, eyes narrowed as she folded her arms across her chest.

"Mmmm hmm, she never told me she had Koriscovas in her wardrobe."

"What about your closet of Vera Wangs?"

It was Kisara's turn to fold her arms and feign jealousy as she raised an eyebrow. Vivian had one of the most extensive wardrobe collections she had ever seen; a whole room just set aside to hold the countless ensembles.

"See, they're for when I get married to my rich, high-flying boyfriend and he pays for the wedding, duh."

"And where is this boyfriend?"

Rebecca cast her gaze around the large room with a bright smile as she spoke; Vivian had arrived on her own and had been chatting up various men for the past few hours. The Chinese woman looked about dramatically and shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, he doesn't know he's with me yet, but if you see someone tall, dark and handsome point him in my direction!"

"Oooh, speak of the devil …"

The young waiter that approached with a tray of drinks looked rather dubious as Mai spoke and Vivian smiled up at him, batting her eyelashes as she did so. The none-too-subtle wink from the latter sent the waiter walking hastily back to the bar, Kisara giggling as she spoke to her friend.

"You are such a cougar …"

"Am not; cougars only go for young men. I go for any men."

The laughter from their table drew some attention from nearby groups of guests and a photographer made his way over; KaibaCorp had allowed a small amount of reporters and two photographers into the actual function on the pretence that no yarns be spun and no conversations taken out of context. If they broke these stipulations, then they'd be sued for everything and no settling out of court would be permitted. At least that was what Rebecca had told her earlier.

"Mind if I show the readers how beautiful you all look tonight, ladies?"

"Well, when you put it like that …"

That was Vivian answering the young man with yet another flutter of her eyelashes. One flash of the camera and he had disappeared to picture another few guests. It was only as Toshi passed by, and Vivian watched his every step, that Téa questioned the drinks the waiter had delivered. The answer, of course, came from Ms. Wong yet again, this time coupled with a devious smile.

"They're Sex on the Beach!"

The speakers around the room crackled to life as a familiar voice spoke into the microphone, drowning out the laughter from one particular table towards the back, where five young women sat. Roland was talking, welcoming everyone to the event and outlining what would be explained tonight. It was only as he requested his employer to the stage at the front of the room that a hand swapped the red-orange coloured Sex on the Beach in front of Rebecca for a plain fizzy orange.

"Nice try; I need the duelists sober, especially if they're under-age."

"I think you're a little late for that, Kaiba-poo …"

Another round of laughs emanated from the table towards the back of the room as Vivian shrugged and smiled innocently, draining her glass. Another call from Roland prevented Seto from answering back but not before he left a light kiss on his fiancée's cheek, garnering a narrowed glare from Vivian.

"He's using you to get to me … it's all just a plan to seduce me!"

Kisara couldn't help but smile as Vivian explained Seto's master plan and Rebecca set to work on her soft-drink. As the rest of the guests gathered on the dance floor in front of the stage to listen to the announcements, the five girls followed suit.

The tournament commissioners were announced first; these were the people who would act as referees during duels and call violations and penalties when needed. In total, there were about six commissioners, but Kisara only recognised three of them; Roland, Isamu and Mokuba.

After the commissioners had been announced, the invited duelists were called to the stage one by one. As the names were called, Kisara noted how only she and Téa were left standing by the end. Eighteen major duelists, ranging in age and nationality stood on the stage and would constitute the major players in the new tournament. There were also six more places to be filled by amateur duelists before the total of twenty-four places were filled. The last six slots would be decided along the same lines as Battle City; all registered amateurs used their duel-disks to fight it out on the streets of Domino and had to collect five matching tokens to participate in the main tournament. There was a catch though; there were eight different types of tokens and each duelist had to collect five of one type and had only two weeks to do so before the professional tier of the tournament began.

"I'll be back in a few minutes; I just want to make sure Joey doesn't say something dumb; he's a little tipsy and knowing him, he could challenge Seto to a duel here and now …"

Téa rolled her eyes as she made for the side of the stage where the duelists would exit in a few more minutes, ready to stop her friend should alcohol take over his vocal chords. Kisara wanted to say no and ask Téa to stay with her instead of leaving her on her own, but that would be unfair; surely she could manage five minutes standing on her own until Seto finished answering questions.

Looking up to the stage, Kisara noticed how Mai was shooting Joey a look, almost as though warning him to be quiet, but she also noted the small yawn that barged its way from her fiancé's mouth. The young woman smiled lightly; he must have yawned about a dozen times in the limo and, although he had vehemently denied it, she knew he was exhausted. Those dark circles weren't as unnoticeable as he thought they were. Kisara felt her smile growing a little as Seto's eyes found her in the crowd and a smirk lifted the corner of his mouth.

"You two seem well-suited to each other."

"Umm, t-thank you."

Kisara spoke the uncertain words with a slight frown before turning a little towards the new voice; she was unsure if that was a compliment or not. Finding the owner of the voice to be standing just behind her, the young woman hid a cringe; it definitely wasn't a compliment if it came from this woman.

Rie Mitsuru smiled widely as she glanced back up at Seto, her dark eyes betraying nothing. If she hadn't already known better, Kisara would have taken the smile to be a friendly one, but her guard was up and she was blushing already; Seto had warned her to avoid this woman. A flick of her dead-straight locks brought Rie's attention back to the shorter girl in front of her.

Not wanting to invite conversation, Kisara looked back up to where the commissioners had left the stage and each duelist was being introduced by name and accolades. Despite not engaging with Rie, Kisara was still aware of her standing behind her in that shiny tinsel-dress Kai would love. When she spoke again, her tone actually sounded friendly, so much so that Kisara thought she was being a bit too prejudiced against Seto's ex.

"I mean, he's handsome and you're so pretty. He's rich and you're rich. He has a piano and you love to play the piano."

A bitter undertone seemed to bite at the last sentence and Kisara blinked for a second; Rie had been to the mansion and knew of the piano in the upstairs foyer, but how could she have known about her being able to play the piano? Not even the papers knew of that tidbit yet. Lowering her gaze to her hands, Kisara didn't see Seto glancing at her, eyebrows furrowed as he spotted the smirking face of Rie.

"Zigfried tells me a lot. He told me that you play the piano rather well. He tells me anything I ask about … he trusts much too easily. All I have to do is flash that friendly smile of mine and pretend I'm worried about you being in a strange country and he'll tell me all. Natalie would have been what, twenty-five this year? Oh … but she can't age, can she, little Sara? Because you killed her, didn't you? Let's face it, he's only with you because of this arranged marriage deal. What guy would actually look twice at you? You are honestly the weirdest-looking thing I've ever seen _and_ you killed your own cousin-"

Kisara didn't hear anymore of Rie's words; she was too busy pushing through the countless guests around her in a bid to go … where? Somewhere away from everyone, anywhere. The whole function room seemed to be a blurred mess as her eyes flooded with unshed tears. Just as the end of the dance floor came into view and she could see the sign for the ladies' bathroom , Kisara felt her hand being pulled, bringing her to a stop. A tall frame was beside her and slowed her to a walk.

"Ms. Ashbrook, I can't let you run off crying. There are reporters and photographers in the crowd and they would only love a picture of you upset by that woman."

"I-Isamu?"

It was indeed Akari's boyfriend to be standing at her side; he had been on the stage up until a few minutes ago. The tall young man nodded his head and looked about, pointing towards the bathroom sign for no apparent reason.

"Mr. Kaiba saw her talking to you and sent me to intervene, I'm sorry I didn't get there fast enough. You're going to pretend you need the toilet and I'm just walking you in the right direction to anyone watching. Roland and Mokuba are going to take over from Mr. Kaiba."

"I-I'm sorry a-about this …"

It was as she reached the bathroom door that Kisara felt a few tears escaping and running down her cheeks. There was a silence for a few seconds before Roland's second-in-command timely produced a tissue.

"Don't worry about it, Ms. Ashbrook."

The bathroom was mercifully empty as she pushed through the door, letting the rest of the tears fall. Why had Rie's words stung so much? Looking in the large mirror, Kisara took note of her blotchy face, her streaked make-up and her colourless plait. The only reason she was with Seto right now _was_ because of the marriage. Had there been no arranged marriage, why would he have ever taken any notice of a French company's heir?

And Zigfried had told Rie about Natalie. There was another reason Seto wouldn't have come within a mile radius of her. It hurt to be told the truth, that it was all just a lie. It hurt because she had known it all along, since that day in the woods when Roland had found her, and it was just a lot more painful to be told by a stranger.

Kisara jumped as the bathroom door was flung open, a worried Vivian standing in the doorway, her hard eyes softening as she also took note of the running mascara and streak marks.

"Oh, Kisara …"

The sad look and hug only made her cry all the more; Vivian was the only friend she would have if the marriage didn't exist. The bathroom door opened again and a few more familiar faces entered the room as Vivian steered her into a stall. Lowering the lid of the seat, she placed her friend sitting on it and looked over her shoulder.

"Rebecca, make sure no one else comes in; tell them someone's getting sick or something."

The teenager nodded her head and, dragging the quiet Suzu with her, headed for the door of the bathroom. Mai busied herself at the sink, wetting some tissue under the tap before handing it to Vivian.

"What did she say to you, hun?"

Kisara shook her head lightly as Vivian lifted her chin, dabbing under her eyes with the wet tissue; Vivian knew everything about her but Mai and Téa didn't and she didn't want to lose them as friends. If she told them about Natalie, then they'd surely never talk to her again. She wanted to tell someone, but wouldn't they all just agree that the marriage was why she was with Seto?

"She … said he wouldn't h-have looked at me if it hadn't been f-for the marriage …"

It wasn't a stutter to interrupt the young woman's words, it was sobs; it hurt even more for her to voice those words than it had been to hear them. The first to respond was Téa, her blue eyes flashing anger in them at Rie's words.

"Don't you listen to her; she's just a jealous cow. You trust me on this, Kisara, if the marriage didn't exist then you and Seto would have just met up some different way."

The surety in Téa's words didn't go unnoticed as the brunette glanced to the floor for a few seconds; she felt guilty even saying that much about the past. It felt like she was going behind Kisara's back in knowing about the past life she had once led.

"That's not all that's upsetting you, though …"

At that knowing string of words from Vivian, Kisara shook her head, letting loose a rushed blurt of Mandarin Chinese. She told Vivian about Rie knowing of Natalie, of how Zigfried was telling the woman everything and let loose a few more tears as she did so. The door to the bathroom opened once again half-way through the rambled Mandarin.

"Seto, it's a girls' bathroom!"

"I own it, Rebecca."

His answer was called through the swinging door of the bathroom at the indignant blonde. Kisara felt her stomach hit the floor as she heard his voice; he was supposed to be launching a new tournament and yet here she was crying in the bathroom, ruining the night.

Seto frowned slightly as he found his fiancée at last; it had taken Isamu longer than he'd expected to get to Kisara, but he'd seen the look on her face and the satisfied smirk on Rie's. Hearing the rapid Mandarin Chinese, the young man let Kisara finish blurting words into Vivian's shoulder before crouching down to her level.

"What did Miss Piggy say to you?"

The question garnered unknowing and slightly worried looks from Mai, Vivian and Téa, but elicited a half-smile from Kisara before a few new tears ran down her cheeks.

"Seto, I'm sorry for ruining it all …"

"Don't be silly, you didn't ruin anything."

Just like Christmas morning, she hid her face in the crook of his neck. It took a minute or two, but eventually a muffled voice could be heard speaking lowly.

"She said we wouldn't be together if not for the marriage …"

Another few seconds of silence followed the statement, with Seto nodding his head.

"Just like Téa wouldn't be with Yugi if they didn't both live in Domino, or Mai wouldn't be with Wheeler if they hadn't both been in tournaments together. Isamu and Akari are together because they work for me, Emiko and Roland because they met in Russia years ago. All couples hinge on a reason, so don't even listen to Rie; she can't help being a bitch."

That earned a mostly-swallowed laugh from Mai, who decidedly walked away from the cubicle, dragging Téa and Vivian with her to the other side of the large bathroom; they could at least give them a little privacy and the blonde didn't feel at all comfortable seeing Kaiba being so nice. That was most definitely a side of him reserved for his private life and she didn't want to intrude on that.

Kisara looked up as her tears were wiped away, but fidgeted with her plait for a few seconds before somehow finding the courage to speak lowly, gaze fixated on a spot behind Seto.

"Am … am I weird-looking? Would guys look twice at me?"

As soon as she said it, she wanted to run away somewhere where she wouldn't hear the answer. Like texting a question and throwing her phone to the other side of her bed to not see the reply. A small chuckle and hand on her left cheek drew Kisara's gaze away from a faucet through the open cubicle door.

"Come here …"

The young woman blinked once or twice as she felt fingers lacing between hers, pulling her from her sitting position on the closed toilet. Her shoes click-clacked across the tiled floor until Seto stopped in front of the large mirror. At the movement, the three watching women retreated to the swinging door, offering the whole bathroom to the couple.

"Look in the mirror … don't hide behind me …"

Kisara blushed as strong hands gripped her shoulders and placed her in front of his tall frame. She felt too exposed as the mirror bounced back the image of a blotchy face and ruined make-up. She hated looking at herself in the mirror; it was fine when she wore jeans and a hoody, but the gorgeous dress just looked too extravagant to be hers; the breasts were too small, the figure not slim enough, and the face just didn't suit it.

Noticing her gaze wandering down to the sink in front of her, Seto stood closer and placed his hands on her waist. He was slightly annoyed that she couldn't see what he did everyday.

"Kisara, look _in_ the mirror, not around it."

She didn't want to. No matter how many times she did the reflection would stay the same. She made to push away from the granite countertop that housed the numerous wash-hand basins, but strong hands kept her where she was as more tears threatened.

"Seto, I don't want to …"

"Why not?"

"B-because … because it's me …"

The hands moved from her waist to around her arms, hugging her from behind like Vivian had done earlier, only it was a much more protective hug than the fun and laughter at their table. A light kiss to the right side of her neck.

"And what do you see?"

She opened her mouth with a list of things ready to fire out; nervous, crying, blushing, weird-looking, small-breasted, naïve … those were all attributes Kisara Ashbrook allocated to herself, but couldn't admit them verbally for a large lump had formed in her throat and it was all she could do to try and swallow it. Closing her mouth again, the young woman glanced down at the sink.

"Want to know what I see?"

Part of her said yes and the other screamed a defiant no; all her life she had been told what others thought of her and she didn't want Seto to become one of those people. But the other part desperately yearned to see what made him want to be with her. She must have nodded her head slightly, because Seto stood another bit closer and ran his hands up and down her arms.

"Intelligence, fun, beauty."

"I'm not-"

"We've already been through this, Kisara, I didn't call you a _belle dame _for no reason."

Another few seconds ticked by, Kisara actually looking at her reflection for once, if only to glance at her fiancé. Her reflection didn't seem so bad when she looked at it this time; the colourless locks weren't aided by extensions, the breasts weren't made of silicone, the high cheekbones weren't hollowed and the bodice of the dress didn't hang off of size zero frame.

"And guys better not give you a second look or they'll have me to deal with."

That comment earned a full laugh from Kisara as she remembered the second half of her question. A light hand tilted her chin to the right, where lips brushed against hers. It wasn't the steamiest of their encounters but it stood for so much more.

"Come back out and show Rie it doesn't matter what she says, and I swear I won't leave you alone this time."

Kisara smiled lightly as she leaned back into the strong arms that had made her look at herself. She wanted to go back out, to spend the night with friends and with Seto, but the mirror also reflected the mess she had worked her self into.

"Look at the state of me …"

"I think we can help in that matter, hun."

Kisara giggled as Mai's helpful voice called from the doorway. Vivian called outside to Rebecca whilst Mai and Téa approached the black granite countertop and emptied their clutch-bags of any and all make-up. When Vivian joined them, it was with Rebecca and Suzu's handbags too, adding to the collection of foundations and eyeshadows already cluttering the countertop.

"Now, if we could just get all the testosterone out of the ladies' toilets …"

Vivian's raised eyebrow done the trick as Seto took a step backwards away from Kisara.

"I've got to sort something anyway, I'll be back in a few minutes."

Another light kiss on her cheek that seemed to tie up any loose ends to their conversation. Téa couldn't help but giggle as she sorted through the foundations for a light tone.

"Still think he's trying to seduce you, Viv?"

That comment earned a bewildered glance from Seto as he looked back from the door, the girls erupting in laughter as the joke went completely over his head. Even Kisara giggled happily as he left.

* * *

**A/n-**** Well, sorry for the reeaallly long length of this chapter and I really hope you all liked it! XxxxxxxX**

**Note: **A _Cheongsam_ is a tight-fitting dress with a high-neck of Chinese origin.

2nd Revision - 8/March/2011


	29. Everything

**Author's Note:** Hi guys! Sorry for the wait, but I just couldn't think of anything to write for this chapter. Thankfully, some nagging from my sis, Renolvr and her usual Beta-reading help soon got me typing again. Thanks a million for waiting so long everyone and I hope you all had a safe and happy Christmas and New Year! XxxxxX

* * *

"_We try not to crash but we still collide_."

* * *

Roland was still up on the stage when he exited the bathroom, and probably would be for a while yet, but that wasn't what gained the young man's attention. It didn't take long for Seto to find the shiny silver dress amongst the crowd of guests on the dance floor, standing in the same spot as earlier. How was he going to do this without drawing attention from her latest romance?

The answer walked right up to him as Toshi approached with a concerned look, nodding towards the closed bathroom door. Rebecca and Suzu had since joined the make-up expo inside the ladies' restroom.

"Everything alright?"

"Yeah, can you keep Schroeder busy for a few minutes?"

Toshi looked over his shoulder to where the flamboyant German was walking about, red wine in hand. Nodding his head, the man began walking slowly towards the loudmouth but not before shooting his friend a serious look.

"You owe me for this."

A smirk should have unfolded at Toshi's words, but Seto was far too occupied with keeping a tab on the shiny silver dress. Making his way towards the crowd still listening to Roland, the young man was stopped once or twice by other company-owners and a few old acquaintances. But these people received only rushed greetings as the CEO carried on towards the full dance floor, shouldering through the crowd as the silver dress drew closer and closer.

Rie couldn't help but let a satisfied smile curl her lips as she felt a tall frame stopping behind her; one quick glance confirmed her presumption of who stood there. Glancing back up at the stage, where that annoying Roland guy was still spewing rules and regulations, Rie feigned what little innocence she could muster and inspected her freshly-manicured nails.

"Long time no see, Seto. You know, I could have sworn I saw that fiancée of yours running for the bathroom … whatever could have upset her?"

The young model let the innocent act fall away as she beamed a very satisfied smile, quite happy with the turn of events tonight; she'd only meant to wipe the smile off that girl's face, but she had actually gotten upset. It was all a bonus to Rie as she kept her eyes trained on the current speaker; young Mokuba had traded places with the security guy.

"You're evil."

"You used to like evil once upon a time … has she turned you to the good side already?"

Rie's smile disappeared, a playful pout taking its place as the tall frame stood closer and her ex's voice sounded in her ear, low and serious.

"I will wreck your career before it even starts."

Seto didn't smile as he spoke. He didn't feel like smiling anywhere near the model. He just kept his voice quiet and threatened the one thing he knew Rie Mitsuru actually cared about; her modelling career. Much too preoccupied with scanning the crowd for the upset European, Rie scoffed lightly.

"You own a gaming business, Seto, trust me I won't be trying out for any stupid games-"

"Maria Koriscova is a good friend of mine, and Vivian Wong might be retired but she still has connections all over the industry. Did you know Kisara and Vivian lived together for a year?"

The silence from Rie served as an answer; the brunette simply fidgeted with the earring in her left ear, unable to formulate a quick response. Her nails received another inspection as the girl scrunched her nose and sent another glance towards the ladies' bathroom.

"Ever so threatening, Seto … I wonder if you show _her_ this side of you, hmmm?"

The tall frame stood just a small bit closer and Rie hid a gulp as she heard the icy seriousness in ex-lover's voice, something she had last heard over seven months ago when he had put an end to their short-lived relationship.

"I suggest you trot on back to Schroeder and stay on that side of the room for the rest of the night."

She didn't challenge the full stop to their conversation as he walked away. She might enjoy annoying him at times, but angering Seto Kaiba was an entirely different thing, and something the young woman wasn't too eager to experience any time soon.

* * *

The small dragon seemed to judge her for a few seconds before approaching, its large eyes darting this way and that. Kisara couldn't help but smile as the Blue Eyes Toon Dragon darted around her left side and floated a few feet away. The small hologram studied her once again before floating closer and whizzing past, towards a few more virtual monsters. A Kuriboh was the next hologram to approach, watching as the young woman tentatively outstretched a hand. The brown fuzz-ball evaded the hand and zoomed away towards its winged counterpart.

He smiled lightly, unable to stop the smirk from growing. He'd been around the holograms for so long, Seto acknowledged how desensitised he'd become to their interactive sensors. The young man invested so much time in constructing the graphics that he usually overlooked the finished product, except when dueling … that said, it had been years since he'd played a card against an opponent.

Taking notice of the decorated garden for what seemed the first time, Seto made a mental note to thank Rin; his secretary had outdone herself in preparing the area. Twinkling lights hung from surrounding trees, accompanied by festive New Year banners. It should have been freezing out in the garden, with snow beginning to fall again, but intricate heating systems located beneath the paved ground permitted the warm temperature that many of the guests had taken advantage of.

The white flakes began to fall faster, the wintry weather declaring its plans to remain for a while longer. Though they landed and added to the blanket of white covering the lawns, the snowflakes melted as they reached the heated surface of the concrete. But none of these trivialities bothered Seto; his mind was too busy reeling through what he had heard in the girls' bathroom about an hour ago. KaibaCorp was the largest gaming industry in the world, and it had branches in many countries with its secondary Asian HQ situated in Beijing. Mandarin and Cantonese were the primary languages he had been taught after English. It was how he had read Kisara's tattoo and how he had heard and understood each and every word she had blurted out to Vivian Wong. For a while he had convinced himself that he'd translated the words wrong, but Seto knew that couldn't be; he was fluent in both dialects. But what he had heard couldn't be true either …

"_She knew about Natalie! Zigfried told her everything, even that I killed Nat!"_

He had definitely heard those words, but surely the young man had the context wrong. Looking up to where the Kuriboh was playfully floating around her, Seto shook his head lightly. Kisara didn't have it in her to swat a fly, never mind kill someone … maybe Natalie was just a posh name for a goldfish or some other pet? Almost kicking himself, Seto berated his rare naivety; the Ashbrooks _had_ had a daughter once upon a time, he was sure of it despite not knowing the girl's name. Rin had mentioned the death of the girl to his step-father years ago, but the young man couldn't quite recall the circumstances surrounding the incident.

But why hadn't she told him about it? Why had she chosen Vivian over him? Even as he thought it, Seto Kaiba felt a strong stab of guilt point the finger at him. How could he accuse her of not telling him everything after all he was keeping from her? A whole other life thousands of years ago, where she was killed by a look-a-like of her own uncle and Kisara still thought the whole Gozaburo-meeting-the-window was a rumour cooked up by the press …

He was no expert on relationships by any means, but Seto Kaiba was intelligent enough to know that trust and honesty were usually key elements; key elements that his previous flings had lacked. He didn't care that all the other girls never really knew him, that despite affiliating with blue and white his favourite colour was actually red or that he hated when people referred to him as a child prodigy; hard work and sweat didn't make a person into a prodigy. He didn't care that none of those girls knew just how dark he could turn to protect his little brother, or just how much of an opposite he was to that noble priest he had supposedly once been.

But he wanted Kisara to know.

He wanted her to know him for what he was; the abandoned kid that looked after his brother. He would have to tell her the truth about his step-father eventually, about the window but also about why it had come to that in the very end. And he would tell her, just not right now … not while he could enjoy a relationship for the first time in his life. Not while it seemed that whatever god might exist had finally decided to give him a break. He didn't want to risk ruining the last few months, of losing her because of his past.

"Seto?"

Blinking at his name, Seto glanced up to see the very person he was scared of losing, her eyes showing nothing but concern at his staring into space. He had definitely got the context screwed up; there was no way she could have harmed anyone. Toying with the glass in his hands, Seto pushed the last few minutes of thinking to the back of his mind and eyed the lager that filled less than a quarter of the glass. A small smile barged its way forward, assuring Kisara that he was fine.

Draining the last of his drink, he placed the pint glass on the paved ground and stood from the ornate bench, a little bit unsteady if truth be told. Toshi had indeed made him pay up for distracting Schroeder earlier, in the form of numerous sake bombs.

As the Toon Blue Eyes approached Kisara once again, Seto hid a small frown; why was it that particular hologram hovered around her? Of all the Duel Monsters flitting about the garden, the small dragon seemed intent on gaining his fiancée's attention. The garden was beginning to fill up with guests wanting to experience the interactive holograms and see the festive decorations, but still that little Toon stayed around her.

The small white dragon seemed to glance behind her and then whizzed away towards the brown fur-ball from earlier. Kisara smiled as she felt a familiar tall frame standing behind her; true to his word, Seto had made sure she wasn't left on her own and that Rie woman hadn't come near her again either. Arms snaked around her waist from behind and warm breath tickled her neck. Feeling a light blush surfacing as a few guests looked their way, Kisara turned around to face Seto with a small frown; she had noticed the staring contest he'd had with the pint glass.

"Everything okay?"

The guests in the garden began to count down from ten as Seto nodded his head.

"Just making sure no one gets a New Year kiss before me."

"Is it almost midnight already?"

Another nod and the strong arms were turning her back around to face the garden for some reason. So that was why the garden had become so full in the last few minutes; the new year was about to begin and Kisara couldn't help but hope it would be half as good as the last few months.

The countdown was nearing its end, with voices shouting out the number five. More and more guests had wandered out into the garden; a shiny silver dress made her uneasy for a few seconds, but Rie wasted no time in strutting past. Mokuba and Rebecca were standing a few feet away, with Mai and Joey over by the open double doors leading into the function room. She couldn't see Vivian anywhere, but Kisara was quite sure her friend was off stalking some unsuspecting waiter for a kiss at midnight.

As the number one echoed around the full garden and shouts rang out of a Happy New Year, the sky lit up with a barrage of colourful fireworks, all eyes looking up at the display, including those of the Duel Monsters. The fireworks were ignored for a few seconds though, as Kisara turned back around, only to feel a hand framing her cheek. She couldn't help but smile as she stretched to her tip-toes once again; the previous New Year's Eve had been a dull evening at the Italian vineyards, but this … linking her arms lightly around her fiancé's neck, Kisara smiled wider as she heard his low voice just before their lips met.

"Happy New Year, _belle dame."_

Even with her eyes closed, the young woman could still see the colours fighting for notice in the sky above. And it seemed all too soon that the kiss had ended, a few older guests watching bemusedly as she blushed. But those strong arms hugging her from behind put the blush back in its place.

Blues, golds, reds and greens exploded across the sky, with larger Duel Monsters flitting about the show. As a pale blue firework lit up the garden, the original Blue-Eyes White Dragon appeared amidst its showering sparks and let loose a telltale roar, firing a blast of whiteness across the sky, mingling with the firework. People clapped and cheered, but one person didn't.

Kisara Ashbrook had never experienced a flashback before. Though her feet remained rooted to the spot, and Seto stood behind her, Kisara's eyes were seeing a completely different surrounding. She was standing on that spiked platform, the same one from her dream with the spider-caterpillar creature looming ahead. But she wasn't standing for very long; the chains that bound the platform had been cut, just like in her nightmare and she had fallen towards the darkness below. Someone had caught her and something had destroyed the monster with a colourless blast. The same colourless blast that raced across the sky above the KaibaLand building and the same hand that had caught her was now resting over her own.

"Yoo-hoo, Kisara?"

Two hands clapped in front of her face and Kisara couldn't help but start at the noise. A pleased-looking Vivian was standing before her, a laughing Mai in the background. A few shouts echoed from the double doors and she could see Rie Mitsuru throwing a tantrum inside the function room. It took a few seconds, but the brunette eventually turned to face the garden, a large red stain running down the silver dress.

Some of the guests were looking at the ruined dress, a mixture of amusement and pity running through the watchers, but it was the satisfied look on her friend's face that Kisara noticed the most. Her hand found its way to her hip, the demanding stance returning once more as she pinned Vivian with a glare.

"What did you do?"

The ex-model merely sniffed and pointed her nose into the air, arms folding in a bid to rival the hand-on-hip move her friend had just pulled.

"I didn't do anything; the bimbo tried to jump ahead of me to get to the bar, I had red wine in my hand, she knocked it and ruined her own dress. I believe they call it Karla or something like that."

"Karma?"

"Same difference; her dress is a mess either way."

The laughing Mai and low chuckle from behind her made Kisara drop her hand from her hip, smile rising yet again; Vivian was tipsy in the very least and arguing would be of no use until tomorrow morning when she would be hungover. Instead the young woman pinned her friend with a beseeching look.

"I thought you said you were going to drink less for the new year?"

"Chinese new year doesn't start until February this year, sweetie … how about it Kaiba-poo? An early new year's kiss?"

Oh, she was definitely beyond tipsy at this stage. Hiding a cringe at her friend's eyelash batting, Kisara glanced up at Seto, waiting for his answer; once Vivian returned to sobriety she was getting an earful about hitting on taken men.

"Go sober up, Vivian."

"Go lighten up, Kaiba-"

"Viv! Glass of water now."

The demanding look was back, along with a finger pointing at the double doors. She loved her friend, she really did, but Kisara had seen how outrageous a drunken Vivian could get and she was heading in the right direction to start a fight with someone if she drank anymore. With a mumbled half-apology, Vivian turned on her heel with her head high and walked for the double doors. Shaking her head, Kisara smiled lightly.

"Sorry about her …"

"Don't worry, I've seen worse drunks."

Kisara giggled as she followed her fiancé's gaze towards the merry Joey Wheeler and Duke Devlin, the blond declaring that he honestly loved his friends and wasn't afraid to say it out loud as Duke nodded his head in agreement. The duo weren't the only guests to take advantage of the free bar however, as most of the people in the garden were heading towards drunkenness of some sort. It was as Toshi passed, a unwilling conversation-partner to the obese Rick-rolling man from the red carpet, that Kisara turned back towards Seto, a devious smile flashing briefly.

"No more sake bombs, then?"

The cringe was enough of an answer to send her back into giggles as Seto groaned and leaned his forehead down against hers.

"No thanks … I can feel the hangover already."

Music was floating out from the function room and many of the guests had retreated from the garden and headed for the dance floor instead. Still smiling, the young woman traced her fingers over the silver chain her fiancé was wearing; the one she had gotten him for Christmas. A larger hand overlapped hers and Kisara found her gaze looking up into his cobalt stare. Overlooking the whole Miss Piggy incident, then tonight had definitely been one of her favourites since arriving in Japan.

"Kisara, hun!"

Looking for the source of her shouted name, Kisara saw Mai standing at the open double doors and waving at her to come inside. Not knowing why she was being called, the young woman made to walk forward, but was playfully pulled backwards.

"Give her a few minutes!"

In answer to Seto's reply Mai merely nodded and winked coyly before heading back inside the large room. Turning her questioning glance up at him, Kisara raised an eyebrow; it was the first time she had heard him shout and the young woman quite liked the way his voice didn't lose its low timbre.

"I told you we might get some more practice in …"

The hands that had stopped her approaching Mai moved to rest comfortably on her lower back. Thinking back to the evening when the Domino Christmas lights had been switched on, Kisara laughed lightly; he had mentioned dancing practice back then. Nodding her head and linking her arms around Seto's neck, Kisara hid a blush: that night had also been the first interruption of an ongoing trend. Despite the time that had passed, she and Seto had still gotten no further than a few steamy encounters that were always cut short.

Light lips brushing the side of her neck brought another blush to her cheeks as Kisara felt her stomach give an all too-familiar flip of its own accord. Tonight had definitely been one of the best so far, out in a near-empty garden, away from all the noisy guests and with the man she was going to marry, dancing just as they had at her first public function, but much more accustomed to her new life now.

* * *

"At least you didn't get a black eye like me, bro."

At Mokuba's words, Kisara shook her head with a large grin and swallowed a few giggles. The black eye Mokuba had received on Christmas day had almost faded completely, with only a slight shadow left in its place. Rebecca let loose another round of hearty laughs and struggled to regain her composure as the limo rolled silently through the gates to the mansion. Even Kosuke smirked as he glanced in the rear-view mirror and the quiet Suzu hid a small smile as she yawned. It was just past three am in the morning and the function at KaibaLand had finished up about half-an-hour ago, but two drunken guests had decided to argue over their stock prices and alcohol had escalated the argument into a punching match.

Though she had missed out on the drama, Kisara had been clued-in by Mai and Téa, who had been nursing Joey and Tristan; the two helping to break up the fight. It looked as though Joey was the one to gain the black eye this time, but Tristan had come out relatively unscathed. If only she could say the same for her own man …

The two drunken men that had started the punching match managed to gain the attention of other drunk company-owners and duelists, with a few more joining the fight. It had taken not only Joey and Tristan to put an end to the fight, but Isamu, Seto and Toshi had also jumped in and eventually tore the arguing guests apart.

The limo slowed to a stop at the base of the stone steps, its tyres skidding a little in the new layer of snow that had fallen. Mokuba was the first to get out of the car, followed by Rebecca and Suzu. Grabbing Seto's tux jacket, Kisara made to give her usual thanks to Kosuke, but was a few seconds too slow as Seto leaned towards the open partition.

"Thanks Kosuke, and sorry for the late time."

"Not a problem, Mr. Kaiba."

"Take the next few days off and don't worry about your paycheque."

A bow of his head and words of thanks were the driver's reply as Kisara stepped out of the limo. A glance to the top of the steps showed three cold-looking teenagers waiting for the door to be unlocked; a jingling sound from the tux jacket told her where the keys were. Somehow making it up all the steps without slipping once, Kisara reached a hand into the right pocket and fished out the keys, handing them to Mokuba, who would be much quicker in locating the correct key. As soon as the door was pushed open, a red-and-white blur made a break for freedom.

"No, Kai!"

The puppy was timely grabbed by Rebecca and prevented from bounding out into the still-falling snow. The husky's barking sounded much too loud for Kisara's ears as they entered the foyer; Mai had found her as soon as she had entered the function room and demanded shots of Sambuca and Tequila. She was only slightly tipsy, being able to hold alcohol well, but Kisara was wary of the hangover that she was likely to experience come morning. It was only as Rebecca fell victim to a deep yawn that the heiress took notice of the hour.

"I'll take her; you should go to bed."

Smiling, she took Kai from the teenager and nodded towards the stairs; Rebecca and Suzu would stay the night, just to make sure both girls were safe and accounted for. Seto had already cleared it with Professor Hawkins and Suzu's father. It was only as the half-asleep youngsters plodded up the stairs that the front door opened again and Seto appeared.

"You know the deal; girls sleep on the opposite side of the house to the boys. I don't need any complaining dads or granddads."

A small nod was Suzu's answer as she pulled a mock-saluting Rebecca towards the right side of the mansion. Ever dutiful, Kisara watched as Seto stood sentry to make sure his little brother headed for the left side of the house, but Mokuba paused on the landing and glanced down into the foyer.

"Remind me to show you the library tomorrow, Kisara."

She smiled lightly and nodded as the teenager disappeared down a hall. Back at the function, Mokuba had asked her if she had found the library those few days ago. Not seeing it fit to tell him she had ended up in brother's room, Kisara had merely mentioned getting lost in the left side of the mansion instead.

"Library?"

Directing her attention to the invalid, Kisara nodded her head with a smile.

"That day I found out what your room looked like … it's bleeding again, Seto."

Raising a hand to his nose, Seto cursed the man he had tried to pull from the fight. For whatever reason, the drunken guy had decided to thrust his elbow backwards and hit him square on the nose. He had received a punch to his jaw for the cheap-shot and a security-escort from the building. With little all else to do, Seto wiped at the blood with the back of his hand, letting himself be pulled lightly towards the kitchen. His tux jacket was abandoned on the back of a chair as the lights blinked on and Kai started her barking again.

"Out, Kai."

The puppy was none too pleased as her bloodied owner gathered her up and dumped her back into the foyer, kicking a chew-toy across the tiles to keep her happy. It was only as he turned for the swinging door that Seto noticed how much the puppy had grown, her back now reaching to his shin and she no longer yapped; it wouldn't be long before she was fully-grown. Walking back into the kitchen, Seto smirked as Kisara ran a clean dish cloth under the tap and wrung it out.

"Used to cleaning up bloody noses?"

"I lived with Vivian; I'm used to catfights. I still can't believe _you_ ended up in a fight …"

The CEO let his smirk grow a little wider as he took the wet cloth and shrugged, leaning against the kitchen table. He couldn't quite believe he'd ended up in a fight either, let alone having a bloodied nose to show for his actions. Though he was no stranger to a bleeding nose, receiving and giving a few back in the orphanage, it had been years since he'd last suffered one.

"Well, it sobered me up … how come you missed the action?"

"I was trying to stop Viv from starting a fight with Rie."

"You should have let her - shit!"

The grumbled response, with its louder swear only made her giggle again; she probably should have let Vivian have her way with Rie, but that would have just been an eye-for-an-eye. Feeling sympathy for him and his injured nose, Kisara shrugged her own shoulders and closed the few steps between them.

"I would have been just as bad as Rie if I set Vivian loose on her … let me."

Seto relinquished his grip on the stained cloth and let her have it, noticing how gentle she seemed even compared to his own hand. The kitchen fell into a few seconds of silence as Kisara cleaned away the worst of the blood and his mind began to wander again; as bad as Rie? Even the Devil himself would have trouble being quite that evil. A light hand turned his head one way, then the other as blue eyes inspected the injury.

"Hmm … it was close, but I think you might just live, Mr. Kaiba."

Smiling at the comment, Seto ran a hand through his hair and yawned; it had been a long night and he could feel sleep trying to have its way with him again, but he wasn't ready to call it a day just yet. Catching her hand as it left his jaw line, Seto pushed away from the table and led the way to the door.

"I want to show you something."

"Seto, it's late."

"In a rush to have a hangover?"

At that question, Kisara pouted and shook her head; she was quite scared of the headache she would probably wake with, not to mention the iffy stomach. No, she was definitely in no rush to fall asleep and wake up regretting all she had drank. Instead, the young woman let herself be led past the now-sleeping Kai in the foyer and up the stairs, towards the left side of the mansion.

"You were close the other day, but just a little off."

Kisara frowned at Seto's words; they had just passed his room, she was fairly certain, and passed two more doors before finally coming to a stop outside a door that looked like every other door in the mansion. A blood-stained hand reached out and pushed down the handle, opening the door and flicking on the lights before walking into the room. Following only a step behind, Kisara immediately felt dwarfed as she crossed the threshold.

"Whoa …"

So Mokuba hadn't been exaggerating when he'd mentioned the library being large; it made her bedroom look miniscule in comparison. The room seemed to stretch on both sides, with the ceiling being much too high to accommodate for the third floor above. Smirking at her sudden silence, Seto walked over to the large writing desk that occupied the centre of the library and sat up on it; he'd never had much love for this room, but Mokuba found it useful for homework and Rebecca loved it.

"The two doors we passed are locked, but they lead to here aswell and the next two doors the other way. The library's four times as wide as normal rooms and twice as high; the ceiling goes the whole way to the third-floor ceiling. There's ladder-things to reach the higher shelves and a smaller piano over by the Shakespeare books."

Even as he said it, Seto knew his words were going in one ear and out the other; Kisara was much too distracted with scanning every inch of the room, from its large open fireplace to the many pictures that hung on the walls. One particular image caught her attention and he watched as she studied the painting of the mansion, hand tracing the spot where the large trees and small shrubs had lined the drive and where the fountain should have been.

"It's changed so much."

"It was painted about ten years ago, that's why the front fountain is missing; we had to build it about two years ago so the limos would have something to act like a roundabout instead of getting in each other's way, I think the trees were knocked at about the same time to widen the drive."

Watching as she moved on to inspect a few shelves of dusty books, Seto idly ran an eye over the table that had become his new seat, noticing a few university-level books littering its surface; no doubt Rebecca had visited the room recently. It was good to see only books adorning the table nowadays. The high-backed chair with its green material had been the very one he'd spent hours sitting in, writing and rewriting all he had ever learned. Back then Hobson had formulated the habit of lining up his collection of wooden switches and canes on the opposite side of the table. The horrid little butler used to sit and watch as he studied, never a second too slow if his charge slacked off; Seto had had the bruised fingers to prove it time and time again.

"Seto?"

For the second time that night she'd caught him having another staring contest with an inanimate object, this time the table he was sitting on. The library was wonderful and she could spend hours in it, but not when he seemed so out of sorts. The usual smug smirk had surfaced in an instant, covering up whatever he had been thinking about.

Kisara couldn't help but smile lightly as an arm looped around her waist and pulled her closer, a kiss landing on her cheek as she stared up into his eyes. Those blue eyes that usually held her gaze captive seemed much more subdued than she'd ever seen them, something she didn't like seeing. Instead, the young woman ran a hand over the patches of red that stained his white shirt, eyes noticing something for the first time. A narrow line of scar tissue ran the length of her fiancé's clavicle, something she hadn't noticed when he'd saved her from the spider. Catching her hand as it ran over the scar, Seto offered an answer, his smirk dulling a little.

"I broke my collar bone years ago."

The blue eyes weren't as clouded now, but Kisara had noticed his smile fading. Letting her hand rest on her hip, she decided to have her own staring contest.

"Is everything okay? You've been miles away tonight …"

Everything was a big word, a word that represented lots of things. Was everything okay? Up until a few months ago, he would have said yes without a second thought; KaibaCorp was back on top, construction for the Duel Academy was beginning to take shape and the new tournament was around the corner. But things had changed in a short amount of time. Now 'everything' encompassed his personal life more than anything. Was he happy with the way things had played out?

Blushing as he stared past her, Kisara turned towards the large fireplace, feigning interest in the many framed photographs that adorned the mantle. She only made it a few steps before a hand closed around her wrist, but it didn't pull her back or stop her from walking forward either.

"Everything's perfect, Kisara, better than it ever was."

Something in his voice made her turn around, half-afraid to see drunkenness swimming about in those cobalt eyes, but there was no impediment behind his quiet words. Rooted to the spot as he stood from the table and towered over, Kisara smiled lightly and felt familiar butterflies taking flight in her stomach. A hand tilted her chin upwards and the young woman was silently elated that he felt the same way she did.

One hand stayed on her lower back as their lips met, but the other moved upwards, finding the exposed skin under the lace of the corset. A shiver ran up and down her own spine at his touch, but it was one of excitement as she linked her arms around Seto's neck, returning the kiss. The hand on her lower back drew her closer to him, pressing her body against his, deepening the kiss and Kisara could feel her stomach performing its infamous flips once again. It was as his lips travelled to her neck that she moved one hand to fist in his ruined shirt and walked backwards a few steps, colliding with the wall. She must have hit the light-switch too, for the bright lights in the library abruptly gave out and plunged them into darkness, with only the eerie white light of a snow-filled sky filtering through the windows.

The young woman giggled as hands rested heavily on her hips. The darkness only made the atmosphere more intense. She could hear her own heavy breathing and feel Seto standing closer, his breath warm on her face as he trailed a hand up her arm to her shoulder and down over her shoulder blade. Another lingeringly languid kiss to her neck made Kisara inhale sharply as she felt his tongue brush over her skin.

"Not here …"

In response to her barely whispered words, Seto found the light switch behind her back and pulled away slightly as the lights flickered back on. Her dress suddenly felt too constraining as her heart skipped a beat; the spines of the corset were starting to dig in, and the heavy trail seemed to weigh her down.

"Where?"

Those devious lips were back having their way with her neck and Kisara couldn't help but bite her lower lip as she heard the breathed question, his voice much lower than before. Anywhere they wouldn't be interrupted, that was the answer she wanted to voice, but all that came out was a light gasp as those hungry lips moved down to her collar bone.

The lack of an answer didn't slow the pace as Seto led the way out of the library and into the hall, hindered only by hurried kisses of arousal. It seemed to take an age to pass by the two locked doors; the couple far too preoccupied with each other. Eventually, Kisara felt a door behind her back and, between returning a fervent kiss, she managed to reach the handle and push the door open. The ribbon binding the bodice of her dress loosened somewhat and the young woman found her chin being tilted upwards to lock gazes with Seto once again.

"If I'm going too fast …"

She shook her head and smiled lightly as his lips claimed hers again, meaningful and unrushed. She smiled into the kiss and linked her arms around her fiancé's neck. The unlacing of the bodice seemed to take an agonizing amount of time, all the while Kisara could feel the room growing hotter and hotter as she tackled a few of the buttons on Seto's shirt. But try as she might, the young woman couldn't concentrate on her task as his lips distracted her and she found herself helpless with want by the time the corset released her from its clutches.

It didn't take long to cross the room and land on the bed, just as they had a few days ago. Only this time no interruptions threatened them and the barrier of clothing had been removed; her beautiful Koriscova gown abandoned on the ground where it had fallen down around her and his shirt shucked off beside it, belt and trousers completing a tantalising trail towards the bed.

Only a mere couple of months ago Seto Kaiba had been unaware of what his life was lacking, unaware of the pleasure he could give and receive with the body he'd used for work, the body he'd satisfied countless women with, the body that seemed to match hers so perfectly. But he knew now. He knew with each thrust and kiss, each stroke and caress that he'd filled the void.

Every hungry kiss and lick seemed to fuel the fiery passion that existed between them until they were lost in an inferno of utter sensation. And even after they had both hurtled over the edge into an explosion of unexplored ecstasy, left exhausted and panting for breath, Seto leaned his forehead down against hers, arms barely able to support his body over her and stared down into hazy sapphire eyes, speaking lowly and capturing one last kiss before sleep took them both.

"You're the reason everything's perfect, Kisara …"

* * *

**A/n-**** Thanks a million for taking the time to read through guys, and I hope you all liked it! XxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**Note **= _Hobson_ is the Kaiba's butler in the anime and manga and was the person who enacted Gozaburo's rules (such as taking away all of Seto and Mokuba's toys), in the Japanese anime it can also be seen that he used switches (small flexible canes) to threaten young Seto. In case anyone is wondering, I'm basing his characterisation on the manga Hobson, as there are drastic differences between the manga and anime.

2nd Revision - 11/March/2011


	30. Rarity

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the wait guys; assignments for college have really started to hit, but I really hope you all like this chapter as much as the last one! Thanks to the omnipresent **Renolvr** for her usual sisterly-duties of Beta-reading for me and poking me until I wrote something! XxxxX

_**Note:**_ You lovely people have stuck with this story for thirty full chapters now, kindly ignoring my many, many, many typos that have been corrected on the sly (wink-wink) and also helping me with plot ideas. It may not seem like it right now, but I promise there is a plot at work underneath all this fluffy prose and I do have the ending written along with the main points of the plot. So thanks for blindly following me this far guys! XxxxxX

* * *

"_Everything changes but beauty remains_"

* * *

"_No matter what it takes, I won't allow him to hurt you _…"

Her words rang as true as Aknadin's aim. The bolt of darkness hit her in the chest and she fell back into his arms, her body already limp but eyes more alive then he'd ever seen them. That was when the tears had threatened, a lump choking him up as he had apologised, only to be told it wasn't his fault. One last smile before her eyes closed forever …

Seto Kaiba woke with a panic in his chest as his eyes darted around his darkened room. Sitting up, he took note that it _was_ his room, not some sun-baked courtyard in the middle of the desert. Glancing down at his sleeping fiancée, the young man breathed a sigh of relief as her chest rose and fell time and time again. He hadn't had that dream in a long while; it had plagued him after Kisara's arrival, but had faded away as the weeks rolled by. So why did it pop up now?

Kisara stirred lightly and he watched as she turned more towards him. The elastic tying the end of her plait had fallen loose at some point last night, the braid working its way undone and freeing her locks. Her make-up was beginning to wear away now and he could spot a few light freckles sprinkling down from the bridge of her nose and under her eyes. She had asked him if she looked weird last night. A few things from the previous night, such as warning Rie off and the countless sake bombs with Toshi were hazy in his mind, but the ladies' restroom scene was crystal clear. The way she had tried to hide behind him and not look in the mirror still had him dumbfounded. He was so used to less attractive women in love with their own reflections that it astounded him Kisara couldn't see how beautiful she was.

Glancing up at the ceiling and running a hand through his hair, he couldn't stop his gaze from wandering back to her, oblivious as she slept on. He'd consumed a fair amount of alcohol last night, and Seto could still feel the effects playing on him a little. But he knew what he had said just before sleep had finally caught up with him, and the company-owner was quite content with his words. There were few things he had honestly meant as much as those words.

She shifted again and his eyes fell on the engagement ring. When he had ordered it to be made those months ago, the ring had been a stupid piece of metal for a problem his step-father had created. He hadn't expected anything from the arranged marriage except someone to finally spend his money. Thinking back, he had probably been expecting one of those rich airhead girls with a shopping addiction and a tiny Chihuahua living in her oversized handbag. Kisara was definitely rich even without the new branch of Ashbrook Estates opening in the United States, but he doubted if she actually cared about money at all. She was by no means an airhead; a college education with three master degrees and she was quickly learning about the workings of KaibaCorp. As for the Chihuahua … Kai was probably a bit big for a handbag now, though she'd gladly chew through one.

If he'd known what to expect, then Seto knew he would have put more thought into the engagement ring. If he had known he'd fall so badly for her then he would have given her the ring himself, and if he'd had the courage he would have said another word last night, one with much more meaning than perfect. Four simple letters that he should have said between _I_ and _You_, but he knew he wouldn't say that word. He was much better at _showing_ how he felt rather than voicing such things. It just seemed easier that way … and he knew that if he ever did say that word then everything would probably fall apart and he would end up living in the same nightmare he'd just woken from.

Why was he even thinking so far into things? He was with her and she was with him. Nothing could threaten that, not Rie, not Jonathon Ashbrook and certainly not some hocus-pocus nightmare that refused to disappear.

Almost in protest to his brooding, Seto felt a pain hammering at the back of his head and his nose decidedly delivered an additional pang of pain; every time he drank alcohol some sort of pain seemed to visit him. It was still dark outside and the young man couldn't keep the sting of sleep from his eyes as he lay back down, one arm resting around Kisara as she slept on, the other pulling the duvet higher around them.

* * *

"I'm going to go look at the collars, okay Joey?"

Even at seventeen, Serenity was still as timid as ever and waited for her big brother to nod his head before heading off towards the other side of the large pet store, an ever-helpful Duke at her side. Joey couldn't quite figure out how exactly dice-boy had managed to crash their outing, but he didn't really mind; Duke was well-off and had had lots of pets as a kid, so he could tell Serenity what she needed to get for her new kitten.

His younger sister threw one more worried look over her shoulder, earning a wide grin from Joey. He knew she was still stressing over his black eye despite telling her not to; it might look bad, but the bruise would be gone in a few days. No thanks to that dumb business guy who had started the fight last night …

Spotting a familiar face standing in front of the pet store's large notice-board, Joey smiled and wasted no time in approaching his friend.

"Why didn't ya tell me you were comin' here?"

"I didn't know I'd end up babysitting …"

Tristan merely shrugged his answer and scratched the back of his head; he hadn't even known about this new pet store until an hour ago, when he'd been saddled with his nephew and his sister headed off to some spa with her girlfriends. Joey shook his head and turned to scan the notice-board with a smile; Tristan's sister worked as a History teacher in a Tokyo school and only got to visit during holidays; bringing her little heathen of a son with her.

"Johji, huh? How old is he now?"

"Almost five and he's convinced Blankey is his."

Even though he was busy looking at the photos, Joey knew Tristan was frowning as he spoke; Blankey was his German Shepherd-mix and he was quite attached to the aging dog. Looking back to the photographs, Joey ran an eye over the many faces. There was a hell of a lot of photographs pinned to the notice-board but it looked like the same parrot had crashed each picture, finding its perch on a person's shoulder.

"Poor Blankey … did he ever stop wearin' that duck costume?"

A small laugh escaped Tristan as he nodded his head; it was just a pity his little nephew hadn't grown out of his other habits. No female babysitter had lasted more than two hours with the pintsize womaniser and he still thought Kaiba was the coolest guy around, despite years of trying to convince the kid otherwise.

Another few seconds of silence ticked by as the friends occupied themselves with the many pictures on the notice-board, recognising a few faces here and there.

"Is that Miho?"

Looking to the picture Joey had his finger on, Tristan nodded with surprise; she still wore the yellow ribbon in her hair.

"Yeah … I haven't seen her since graduation though; said she was gonna become an actress."

"Well, seeing as she's in Domino again, we'll just have to find her for ya, won't we lover-boy?"

Just as he made to slap his friend on the back and unleash a few more crush-related comments about Miho Nosaka, Joey stopped short; Tristan's attention was on the photograph given pride-of-place at the centre of the chipboard. Rich-boy looked like he was almost smiling … almost. But the blond knew Tristan wasn't looking at Kaiba; he was looking at the person the parrot had landed on.

An old guy approached to look through the many pictures, taking his sweet time as Tristan kept his gaze on the same image. After a long few minutes, the man wandered off in another direction and out of earshot.

"She's … she's the girl from back then, isn't she?"

He should have said yes straight away, Joey knew that, but his words stuck still. She _looked_ like the girl they had tried to protect, but Kisara Ashbrook seemed like her own person, with her own life and just too tangible to be a reincarnation. Yugi was Yugi, maybe not as short as before, but his best pal was still the same old Yugi with his good nature and upbeat attitude … Atem had been a different person. So why couldn't it be like that with Kisara? Realising he still hadn't answered, Joey took a breath and smiled.

"Téa thinks we shouldn't say anything … I mean, I'm no great fan of rich-boy, but he almost acts human around her, and I'm not gonna be the one t' screw it up on him. It took him long enough to find a girl willin' to put up with him."

Tristan seemed to think it over for a few seconds; they had only seen that girl for a few minutes those years ago, and it probably didn't mean anything; guy saves girl and millennia later the same guy is engaged to the girl. It all worked out as a happy couple in the end.

It didn't matter right now anyway as Joey had just elbowed him and sniggered.

"You're in trouble, Tristan!"

The headmistress of Domino High School was heading his way, her face reddened and none other than Johji being frog-marched ahead of her, a satisfied look on his lecherous little face. Joey wasted no time hurrying down a nearby aisle as she stood and pointed an accusing finger at Tristan.

"Taylor, is this your nephew?"

"Err … y-yes headmistress."

* * *

She didn't know which one woke her; the yapping from downstairs or the low buzz of a vibrating phone. Neither noise seemed to give up as Kisara blinked stubborn sleep from her eyes and yawned. A glance out the window showed fat flakes of snow dropping past the glass.

"So that's where the other tattoo is …"

Kisara smiled as she felt a light hand brush over her lower back. Turning her head, the young woman let her smile spread as his lips met hers in a slow and unhurried kiss, feeling his hand resting on her hip. Turning in the embrace, she stared into tired eyes and smirked all the more; Kisara had never noticed how dishevelled Seto's hair could become or how he fought a yawn until the last second.

She traced a finger lightly over the scar on his clavicle and decided she quite liked waking up to those deep blue eyes.

"I said you might find it someday …"

And there was the devious spark back in her eyes, the quick wit that kept him on his toes every so often. Flashing his own smirk, Seto let his hand wander up the curve of her back to rest on the side of her neck. Any time he had woken next to a girl in the past, it had been early and she had been fast asleep; he would get up and go to work, leaving the woman to wake alone.

"I guess Mokuba won't have to show you the library after all."

Another light kiss had Kisara smiling all the more as she felt the muscles in his arm tensing beneath her hand, her stomach flipping as snippets of last night flashed hot across her memory.

"What happened to boys and girls sleeping in different sides of the house?"

She half-laughed the question as his hand tickled down her thigh and up again. The boyfriend she had had in China seemed a very, very distant memory as Kisara let herself be pulled closer. Waking up beside him had always resulted in a deep blush and self-conscious fumbling for clothes. She had thought it was due to her younger years, but Kisara knew now that she hadn't been comfortable with that guy at all; he had been kind and caring, no doubt, but he hadn't been Seto.

Her Seto. The man that countless women fantasized about and fan-girled over, the man she was going to marry and Kisara felt a strange sense of possessiveness as she idly played with the silver chain around his neck. She also felt a few butterflies taking flight in her stomach; he could have any of those girls, but he was here with her.

But an almost-forgotten noise seemed to barge pointedly between the couple as a low buzzing resumed from somewhere in the room. Even as he stole one last playful kiss, Seto Kaiba knew who would be on the other end of the line … if only he could remember where he had left the small black mobile phone.

Smiling to herself as she heard a low swear, Kisara pulled the duvet up over her shoulders and sank back down into the pillows; he might have work, but she had nothing on the agenda for today, except maybe a bit more sleep. Yawning, she closed her eyes and took pity on Seto.

"Check the pocket of your trousers."

Sure enough, the mobile presented itself, with none other than Rin's name flashing on the screen. Taking a breath to steel himself for her temper, Seto flipped open the phone. Despite having her eyes closed, Kisara giggled lowly at the half-conversation she could hear as her fiancé walked about the large bedroom.

"Yeah? I know what time it is … I'll be down in a few minutes … no, why? Rin, the idea of a phone means you don't have to shout!"

A few seconds of silence followed the end of the call before she heard footsteps. Cracking her eyes open, Kisara smiled as he looked down at her rather bemusedly, already half-dressed in a pair of dark jeans.

"You can't stay in bed all day …"

"Yes, I can; _I_ don't have to be anywhere, Kaiba-poo … Seto, don't!"

The use of Viv's pet-name done her no favours as he raised an eyebrow and lifted her from the bed mid-protest. A hearty laugh escaped the young woman as she linked her arms around his neck. She blushed at how he had lifted her so easily, one arm beneath her legs and the other at her back in a bridal-style and she couldn't help but briefly wondered if she'd be lifted like this whenever the day did come to wear a white dress. A fleeting kiss seemed to bring her back to the present.

"If anyone comes through that door, you better not drop me …"

Seto laughed lowly as he shifted her weight in his arms.

"I won't; the door's locked."

That made her blush again and lean her head against his chest; she couldn't quite remember how or when the door had been locked, how they had made it from the library to the bedroom clothed, or when exactly her plait had come undone. A few things she could remember, however, were the exploring of his body and the taught muscles that she had run her fingers over between kisses ... and feeling of strong arms around her as she had drifted off to sleep.

He planted a light kiss on her cheek before lowering her back down onto the bed.

"I have to go to Koji's Domino zoo today, the one I told you about. Want to come?"

"Yes!"

Before she could even think about it, Kisara had already nodded her head and answered probably a bit too fast; she hadn't been to a zoo in years. Sitting on the bed, the young woman flashed a smile at Seto; her fast answer had garnered quite the look. A small laugh escaped him as he shook his head and pulled on a black t-shirt.

"How old are you?"

"Old enough to enjoy last night …"

He didn't know what answer he had been expecting, but her smug voice and satisfied smile caught him off-guard a little and he liked it; her sparkier side was really something when it surfaced.

"Seto … all my clothes are in my room …"

At that, he leaned against the chest of drawers and considered a quick-witted response of his own concerning either the dress that would take ages to lace-up or the option of no dress and hoping none of the maids were about. In the end, he found a hoody in the bottom drawer and handed it over with a reluctant smirk; option two would have been preferable.

Kisara smiled as she pulled the red hoody over her head, thankful for its large size as the waistband reached her thighs. The low buzzing noise was back again and she noticed that he made no attempt to answer the phone as she stood from the bed and let herself be steered towards the door.

"What about my dress?"

"You can get it later."

His hands were heavy on her hips, and she couldn't help but smile as she turned around to face him, her back against the locked door. She could remember standing like this on the other side of the door last night, almost too busy to open it. Toying with his chain again, she spoke with a small grin.

"And why would I drop by your room later?"

"Because I have your dress held ransom?"

"That's a good answer …"

Kisara giggled and turned the lock behind her as he leaned lower, dancing out of the way as he tried to snatch a kiss. But he did manage to catch the over-long sleeve of the hoody and pull her out into the hall with him, his other hand brushing strands of white behind her ear. He noticed how giddy she seemed this morning, giggling happily as he walked her up against the wall, barring her escape.

"What's the ransom for the dress?"

And he noticed how much her eyes seemed to sparkle as she asked the question through a laugh.

"We'll have to decide later, but I'll take a deposit for it …"

Kisara smiled as he took the kiss she had escaped a few seconds ago, letting it deepen as her eyes slid closed. Seto stood closer and she felt her heart give a thump of excitement as she felt his hand on her lower back. If she had her choice, Kisara knew she would still be in bed and, judging by the hunger in his kiss, Seto wouldn't have minded at all.

She kept her eyes closed for a second or two after the kiss had ended, trying to train her heart back into a normal rhythm. When she opened them, it was with a guilty smile as Seto leaned his forehead against hers and spoke lowly.

"We'll never get to the zoo …"

Kisara smiled all the more and ducked beneath his right arm, only making it a few steps before he caught her hand in his.

* * *

They eventually made it to the first-floor landing, where the stairs led down into the foyer, and where Rin could be heard angrily demanding Mokuba to tell her where his brother was, along with shouting at a busy Akari, who had no problem firing a few insults back.

Seto stopped short of the landing, where the banister would allow for him to be seen by the irate secretary; he had no problem with taking on her temper, but the woman was likely to let fly at Kisara if she saw her. For all her prompt wonders, Rin had a knack to talk before thinking about it … more so to shout without thinking.

Half-way up the stairs, Akari lost what composure she had and dropped the laundry basket with a thump; she could take people giving her orders, people teasing her height or even that stick-insect Rie calling her a dwarf, but she hated when people dismissed her and Rin had just told her to go make herself useful somewhere, in not-so-polite-terms. The woman was understandably angry, but that was no reason to take it out on everyone else in the mansion.

"Rin! Why don't you go fu-"

The pintsize swallowed the rest of the swear as she spotted her missing-in-action employer at the left-side of the landing, Ms. Ashbrook standing beside him in only a large hoody. She didn't need to be a genius to figure out the situation. Picking back up the basket, Akari looked to Mokuba with false surety.

"Actually, I'm sure I saw Mr. Kaiba in the downstairs study a while ago, didn't you Mokuba?"

It was the teenager that Rin turned her predatory gaze onto next; why hadn't he told her this ten minutes ago? Mokuba shot the maid a look of confusion as he tried to placate Rin; why was she landing him in it? Akari merely nodded her head and pointed up the stairs.

Kisara dared a fleeting glance down into the foyer as she heard Mokuba's voice telling Rin to check the ground-floor study for Seto. Akari stood stationary half-way up the stairs as the secretary's voice faded away. It was only when Rin couldn't be heard any longer that the maid turned to face the couple and beckoned for them to move; she didn't want to speak too loudly for fear of attracting Rin again.

Kisara couldn't stop the blush from claiming her cheeks as Seto led the way across the top of the stairs. She suddenly wished the hoody was long enough to trail the ground as she passed Akari; at least Mokuba had retreated to the living room and was no longer in the foyer.

But the melancholy blush didn't last too long; by the time she had closed her bedroom door behind her, Kisara could feel those butterflies swooping about her stomach once again. The sound of Rin climbing the stairs had cut the kissing outside her bedroom short, but the young woman still felt like a hyper child as she flopped down on her bed and let her mind wander aimlessly through the previous night.

Unfortunately, the buzzing of a phone seemed adamant on interrupting her train of thought today. It took her a few second to find it, but Kisara reclaimed her own mobile from within an abandoned sneaker. One look at the screen had her smiling for a whole other reason.

"Viv?"

"_Hey you, I'm coming round to the mansion. I need help piecing last night together. I'll be round in fifteen, chick_!"

"Whoa, take your time; I haven't had a shower yet."

There was a pause on the other end as Vivian gave a bark of laughter.

"_Kisara, sweetie … it's past midday you lazy woman. I'll stretch to twenty minutes, but only because I love you_!"

And with that cackled confession of love, Vivian ended the call. Kisara stared at her phone dumbstruck for a second before blowing her hair out of her eyes; Viv sure had a weird way of showing her love. Twenty minutes? She could totally get showered and dressed in that time … if she hurried. Throwing her phone on her desk, Kisara began the familiar morning routine, only it had become today's midday routine.

Somehow, and the young woman actually had to wonder _how_, Kisara managed to make it mostly down the stairs when the doorbell rang. Twenty minutes to the second; Vivian Wong smiled happily as her friend opened the door.

"See, I knew you could do it in twenty … though you could have tried a bit harder …"

She ran an eye up and down her friend's attire; hoody in hand, long-sleeved tee, jeans and those Ugg boots everyone seemed crazy about. She had always hated the things, calling them ugly-boots instead.

"Viv, do you want to stay out in the snow?"

"My god! You look stunning!"

Kisara couldn't help but laugh as her friend flashed a wide smile and assaulted her with a hug. She was still laughing as she led the woman into the kitchen and switched on the kettle. After a few minutes of scanning through the morning paper, Vivian grew bored and smirked guiltily.

"So … what's the damage for last night?"

Already expecting the question, Kisara placed a mug of hot coffee in front of her friend and sat opposite her with her own mug of tea. The damage? Well, it hadn't been as bad as the damage she had caused in China back in the day.

"You ruined a dress last night."

"I remember that! The crazy cow? That was actually an accident …"

"You tried to start a fight with her too."

Vivian nodded her head happily as she sipped her coffee, quite satisfied with the blurry memory she had of the incident.

"You should have let me."

Kisara simply shook her head with a smile before pinning Vivian with a narrowed glare.

"You hit on a taken man, asking him for a kiss."

"That's not so bad … who was he taken by?"

"_Moi_. My fiancé …"

Vivian didn't smile this time or nod her head happily; she stared into her coffee for a couple of seconds, quite taken with the beverage. When she did glance up, it was with a rare look of seriousness.

"Say that again."

"What?"

"What you just said."

Kisara faltered, taken aback by her tone; Vivian was never usually so serious, at least not without a good cause.

"M-my fiancé?"

The once-model flashed a satisfied smile and nodded her head happily. She took another mouthful of coffee, drumming her fingers along the mug.

"It took you almost six months to call the last guy your boyfriend and even at that you blushed every time, but you're already calling Kaiba your fiancé with no problem. If you feel that way, then good for you."

To say she looked dumbfounded would be an understatement, but Kisara couldn't stop her smile from spreading as she eyed her friend; Vivian had quickly returned her attention to the newspaper on the table; she was getting used to seeing her friend on the front page.

"Why the change of heart?"

Vivian shrugged as she started to flick through the paper yet again, not really looking at anything in particular. There was something in the way he had followed Kisara into the restroom last night that had made the duelist do a double-take. The Kaiba she had known three years ago wouldn't have crouched down to her level and wiped the tears away. With another sip of coffee, Vivian acknowledged that maybe he had changed.

"I admit it … I was wrong about him."

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that … did you just say you were _wrong_?"

She didn't usually admit to such things, but Vivian nodded her head with a laugh as Kisara kicked her under the table, earning a round of giggles from her friend; she seemed in awfully high-spirits today. Smiling happily, Viv returned the kick and stood from the table.

"Shut up! Where's the food in this house?"

"There should be some rice crackers in the cupboard straight behind you … unless Mokuba got to them."

Kisara shook her head with a smile as Vivian happily found the bag of small crackers. It was her turn with the paper and the young woman was relieved to see no pictures of her crying, or any more rumours about wandering eyes; it looked like the _Domino Express _had learned its lesson. Vivian hungrily set to work on the crackers, but not before spotting what looked like a bruise on her friend's neck.

"What happened your neck?"

"Nothing, wh-"

Kisara stopped short as her fingers found a tender spot on the right side of her neck, a blush immediately springing to life as Vivian grinned in realisation. With a short squeal, the brunette quickly traded her seat across the table for the one beside her friend.

"Kisara Ashbrook … no wonder you hadn't had a shower! I knew you seemed very happy … all sexed-up!"

"Shush!"

Her blush only seemed to deepen in colour as Kisara slapped away Vivian's excited poking. This was one of the reasons she loved and hated her friend; despite being in her twenties Vivian still acted like a small child when presented with gossip.

"Well? What's he like?"

"Viv!"

"Hey, I fantasized about marrying the guy for years, you're the closest I'm gonna get, so spill it … does he live up to all the rumours?"

An embarrassed nod was the fangirl's silent answer as Kisara's cheeks faded in colour a little. The heiress couldn't help but laugh as her friend captured her in a tight hug, though she was more than prepared for the next question; it had been the same back in China.

"How big?"

"Not a chance, Vivian."

"Oh, come on! You don't even have to answer, just nod when I'm close …"

With that, Vivian held her hands a couple of inches apart and waited expectantly. Thankfully, the kitchen door was pushed open before the duelist could wrangle anymore answers, but the two women couldn't hold back their laughter as the topic of conversation walked in.

"Kaiba-poo!"

It was all Kisara could do to hastily lower Vivian's hands, still held up in a measuring position. For some reason, Seto had the feeling he had just walked in on something he shouldn't have, but ignored the nickname and looked to Kisara.

"Almost ready to go?"

"Yeah, Viv was just leaving, weren't you?"

Vivian rolled her eyes up to heaven as she caught the look Kisara sent her; her coffee was finished and so were those cracker-things, and there was a good-looking limo driver who had caught her eye last night. With a knowing smile, the woman grabbed her jacket, half-hugged her friend and headed for the kitchen door.

"I can take a hint; I wouldn't want to be a third wheel anyways. Play safe, kiddies!"

* * *

The lazy snow that had floated past the window that morning had developed into an angry blizzard by the time they had reached the zoo. A few brave people headed for the large café to escape the onslaught of white flakes, but Kisara envied them as she let herself be led towards another building further away.

Despite her earlier excitement, the young woman wasn't too keen to stand out in the snow and study the many enclosures; even the animals had retreated out of the horrendous weather. Seto had already offered to visit the zoo another day, when the weather wasn't so bad.

Living in the south of France, she had never had to deal with so much snow; the south just didn't get cold enough and they were usually in Italy for the winter anyway. In all the other countries she had visited, such as the UK, a week or maybe two was usually the maximum for a freezing spell. But Japan was a whole different story, she knew that from geography; the topography and location of the islands meant cold winters and mild summers.

Kisara was shocked out of her geographer-mode as her foot hit an icy patch and slipped from beneath her. Okay, so maybe Ugg boots didn't have the greatest traction, but at least they were warm. The young woman screwed her eyes shut and braced herself for a thump as her other foot followed suit. She never met the ground though, as the hand holding hers let go and an arm wrapped around her waist.

"If you want to go ice-skating, I'll bring you to a rink …"

His chuckle and obvious amusement done nothing for her blush, but Kisara flashed a grateful smile and held Seto's hand all the tighter as they started walking again, hoping no more icy patches loomed.

"No thanks, I'm good."

There was already a zoo-worker waiting by the small building; the middle-aged woman gave a deep bow before opening the door and letting a blast of heat escape.

The inside of the building seemed much too full for its size; cupboards lined the walls with large sinks occupying one side of the room and only one window let the dreary light filter in. There was also a heavy mixture of smells in the air, not helped by the sticky heat inside. But after the blizzard outside, Kisara was more than grateful for the temperature.

"My apologies; I would have had you come to the office, only our pipes are frozen."

It was only as he spoke that the young woman noticed Koji standing from a chair by one of the sinks, lowering a small lion cub to the floor as though it was a domestic kitten. He brushed himself down as best he could before approaching and shaking hands with Seto. The old man seemed very much at home as he picked a few more hairs off of his shirt and turned his kindly eyes to her.

"Always a pleasure, Ms. Ashbrook."

She returned his polite bow and flashed a smile; of all Seto's business acquaintances, she found elderly Koji very easy be around, almost as much as Toshi and little Miki.

As talk inevitably turned to business, Kisara found herself sitting in the chair Koji had vacated much to the man's insistence. She watched as the same middle-aged woman from outside flitted from cupboard to cupboard, retrieving different bags and tins along with fruit and vegetables; the building was probably the storehouse for feed, which would explain the concoction of smells.

It was as the woman turned the faucet that three blurs raced in from an adjoining room and began tumbling around on the floor, much like Kai did with her chew-toys. The only difference being the three playing bundles weren't canines. Kisara couldn't help but giggle lightly as the mock-fighting rolled closer to her and the three little lions began pouncing on each other. Two of the cubs continued their playing as they bumped into the leg of her chair, but the third little feline back-tracked a little. What caught Kisara's attention wasn't the animal's shyness, but the colour of the little lion; the white coat and the clear blue eyes were a stark contrast to the two tawny-coloured cubs with their darker eyes. But the appearance struck an entirely different chord within the young woman.

"Impressive, isn't she? They're quite tame; all three have been hand-reared."

The woman preparing the food smiled as she looked over her shoulder, speaking in a quiet voice as the two boisterous cubs ran beneath the chair. Fighting back a blush, Kisara nodded her head and let her attention rest on the unusual cub again; impressive? White hair and blue eyes … she had never thought of it as impressive before.

The small lion seemed to regard her with equal interest as she padded forward, rubbing up against her leg like a domestic cat would. Before she even realised it, Kisara had lowered a hand to run over the smooth fur; having five cats in the chateau had trained her well on how to placate the animals.

"All the way from Timbavati in south-east Africa; she's quite the wonder. Kimba, Temba …"

The two tawny cubs halted their fighting at Koji's words, bounding to the old man and running circles around his legs. She blushed as the white cub remained sitting at her legs, but Kisara noticed how Koji effortlessly stepped over the hyper cubs and approached with a light smile.

"Leucistic; a recessive gene gave her that beautiful colour, her brothers carry the gene but do not express it … isn't that right, Mizu?"

"M-Mizu … water?"

Koji nodded his head as the white cub, Mizu, decidedly bounded over and jumped onto one of her brothers, starting a three-way fight.

"Her eyes, just like water. Quite a rare beauty don't you think, Seto?"

"I agree, beautiful."

Kisara blinked as she watched the cubs, almost missing out on the hidden meaning of Koji's words, but she looked up just in time to see Seto nodding his head and sending her a meaningful look. Her boyfriend in China had been quiet and caring … but he had never called her beautiful. He hadn't been Seto. Kisara glanced back to the cubs as her cheeks reddened a little; how many times had he called her beautiful now? And how many times had she blushed like it was the first time he had said it?

* * *

**A/n- Well, I really hope you all liked it and thanks a million for taking the time to look at the new chapter, as always! Kudos to anyone who got the reference to an anime-Kaiba-line in the beginning …**

**Note 1:** _Johji_: I didn't make this up; in the manga and first series anime Tristan does have a baby nephew who is quite the pervert. Oh, _Blankey_ is also mentioned in the manga! Another character only mentioned in the manga and first series anime is _Miho Nosaka_, whom Tristan develops a strong crush on. I think her name appears on a computer in GX, but that's kind of her extent. The _White Lions of Timbavati _are quite real and anyone wanting to learn more should check the wiki ... I think that's everything, if I missed anything, then don't hesitate to PM me!

**Note 2:** Because I know I won't update _that_ fast, I want to say that "_**Paper Roses**_" is going to turn two-years-old on the 19th of this month (February) and, due to it being my little brother's birthday, I won't be around. But I just want to say thanks so, so much for sticking with me this long despite my laziness in typing this year; first year = 22 chapters ... second year = 8 chapters ... thanks a million guys!

**Note 3:** I know! I write more notes than I do chapters, but I promise this is the last one! I just want to say to all my readers that, if they have a few minutes to spare, to click the link on my profile for _The Genesis Awards_, or even just google "_the genesis awards-dot-net_". It's a writing site set up for fanfiction, but due to some changes two years ago, the adminship has fallen into the hands of a close friend of mine (_Woodster_) who inspired this fic. It's literally a writing forum run by fanfic authors; I'm a senior-moderator on the site and would suggest it to anyone without hesitation. Though primarily a Final Fantasy VII fandom-site, we have since branched out to Final Fantasy X and all the Kingdom Hearts, with a section dedicated to improving your writing skills, along with anime and manga discussion, fanart competitions and just regular "How's the family?" chat too. Like I said, if you happen to be surfing around with nothing to do, then please have a gawk around and see what you think! Thanks for reading the notes too guys! XxxxxxX

2nd Revision - 11/March/2011


	31. Remember

**Author's Note: **Hi guys! Sorry for the wait as usual, but this chapter was an utter head-wrecker to write! For some reason it just didn't want to be written at all, I mean I was going at maybe one sentence-a-day. The last chapter pretty much wrote itself, so I guess I was due a difficult one after thirty easy chapters. Anyways, if you look back on the rest of the story, it has ALL been rewritten, which made me realise a few things to include as I read through them. Props to **Renolvr** again with her beta-reading and help convincing me of Mokuba's characterisation.! XxxxxX

* * *

"_I know I'll see you again, I'm sure_"

* * *

Night was falling fast over the desert as Marik made his way along the empty path; normally this place would be swarming with foreigners, but the new tourist centre had been closed for hours. Had she been any other queen, he would've been heading to the neighbouring Valley of the Queens, but she had been one of the very few queens to be buried in the Valley of the Kings.

The blond couldn't help but cast an eye around at the silent tombs as he hurried past. After years of living below ground the young man preferred not to enter the tombs too often, but Odion was currently sorting out paperwork for the white sarcophagus to be shipped to Domino museum next month. Shifting the heavy rucksack higher on his shoulder, Marik fished around for the keys in his pocket.

The heavy-duty steel gate creaked as he unlocked it; this tomb was off-limits to the public who visited the valley in their droves. Under Egyptian heritage laws, the government had to seek permission from the Tomb Keepers before a tomb could be opened to the public. This particular tomb had been under the Ishtars' lock and key since its discovery over twenty years ago. A young up-and-coming Egyptologist from France had found the entrance and had been allowed to excavate further, eventually unearthing a tomb more intact than that of the famous Tutankhamun. Shortly after the young man began to translate the many hieroglyphs, he and his team had been barred from entering the five-thousand year-old cavern under the pretence of a partial collapse. The Egyptologist was allowed to publish his name as the discoverer of the tomb, but word had it he died before completing the manuscript.

Fluorescent lights flickered on as Marik found the small generator one of his cousins had installed a few years ago. The hieroglyphics seemed to come to life, dancing in the bright light as the young Keeper walked on through the solid walkway. There had never been a collapse of any kind in this tomb; it had all been a ruse. No one among the Tomb Keepers had realised the significance of a forgotten tomb located away from all the others; that usually meant a lesser Pharaoh or a tomb that had already been pillaged by robbers. It was only as the French Egyptologist had translated the names of the Pharaoh and the female body that the Ishtars had stepped in.

One main chamber with four annexes. In the first annexe had been a lavish golden sarcophagus with hieroglyphics naming the person as High Priest Shada, one of Pharaoh Atem's six High Priests. Passing the next chamber, Marik glanced in to acknowledge the huge tablets held within. There were about twenty of the huge carved slabs held in the room, with a creature known as _Duos_ given pride of place in front of the others. The third chamber was a room dedicated to the usual burial regalia; gold ornaments, rows of shawabtis, various canopic jars, a chariot or two and textiles from all over the ancient world. This room received only a fleeting look from the young Tomb Keeper as he walked past.

The fourth annexe was the one Marik always halted at. He didn't know why, but his legs just seemed to demand him to stop by the open doorway and give the carving a few moments of admiration. It was almost double the size of the stone tablets in the second chamber, the dragon arcing its neck to the right, mouth open and claws held up in front. Its large wings spread out behind it and, even though the tablet lacked any colour, Marik knew the small eye should have been blue.

Having given the legendary White Dragon its deserved attention, he moved on to the main burial chamber. He had only been in this tomb three times before, but Marik knew its steep stairs well and had long since memorised the story of the Pharaoh buried within.

One hundred and fourteen steps led steeply down to the well-shaft of the tomb. Crossing the flimsy bridge his family used, Marik didn't bother to look down the thirty-foot drop. Some tourists actually believed these well-shafts, found in almost every tomb, had a magical or symbolic meaning, or that they were to prevent floods from engulfing the tomb. The blond gave a chuckle as he stepped into the long corridor leading to the burial chamber. The reason for the well-shafts was quite simple really; the ancient tomb-builders dug them to investigate the rock strata they were tunnelling into, preventing them from digging too deep and hitting a layer of brittle shale, which would compromise a tomb's structure and cause a collapse. But he preferred to let the tourists have their fanciful notions.

A further walk had brought him to the doorway of the burial chamber and Marik subconsciously placed his left leg before his right as he entered the room, something he had been taught since childhood. Doing so showed respect to the Pharaoh as the heart is in the left side of the body.

The lights weren't as bright this far underground due to the small generator. The dim lighting suited the chamber though, casting shadows in the corners.

In all his twenty years, Marik Ishtar had to admit he'd never come across a more lavish burial chamber. The two sarcophagi were laid side-by-side in the centre of the large room, raised by a series of five stone steps. The walls weren't the mere colourful paintings found in most other tombs; they were actually carved from the rock, the small images raised from the wall behind and illustrated with rich paints. The usual golden sarcophagus of the Pharaoh seemed to make its white counterpart even more striking.

A white sarcophagus was something unheard of in the ancient world. Maybe a polished outer stone coffin of quartz or limestone, or a coat of white paint, but pure white stone had never been recorded before the discovery of this tomb. Marble was the rock of choice and what a task it must have been to chisel her face into it so perfectly, to lay in all of the aquamarine gems that formed her necklace and the two deep blue sapphire jewels used for her irises. To polish it to such a degree that it still shone five millennia later …

Pharaoh Seth must have really loved this peasant girl.

He had taken no other wives or concubines during his reign, something totally out of the norm for such a prosperous Pharaoh; even the most unknown kings of Egypt had had numerous wives. According to the scriptures, this girl hadn't even been wed to him at the time of her death; he had named her as a Great Royal wife afterwards and forever linked her with one of Egypt's greatest rulers. For the fifty years of his reign, no threat or ailment had fallen upon Upper or Lower Egypt; the Nile flooded annually and the country bloomed under his gaze. It was ironic in the least; the God Seth was the god of chaos and darkness, connotations challenged by the good Pharaoh's reign.

But no wives had meant no one to carry on his bloodline. Pharaoh Seth had foreseen this and had named his successor early on, tutoring the next Pharaoh for a number of years before death had taken him peacefully in old age. But the Pharaoh that had broken with tradition so much - naming a peasant as his chief wife, burying her in his own burial chamber and taking no more wives - had had one more trick up his sleeve.

Pharaoh Mana was by no means the first female Pharaoh, preceding the infamous Cleopatra VII and following in the footsteps of many such as Merneith, Hatshepsut and Nefertiti from earlier days, but she was the first to be bestowed the power officially. Every other female ruler had inherited their reign from a deceased lover or father.

Rousing himself from thought, Marik felt slightly guilty as he wiped a light film of dust from the white sarcophagus and looked to the golden one. The funerary mask of the golden one still made him uneasy; the high cheeks and thin jaw line were Pharaoh Seth's, but they were also Seto Kaiba's. Just like the serene face carved into the white marble belonged not only to Queen Kisara, but also to a young European who shared her name.

He had questioned his sister's intentions when she had requested the white sarcophagus to be shipped to Japan. No one even knew of this tomb's existence outside of the Tomb Keepers and a few higher-ups on the board of Antiquities, so it left the question of why the sarcophagus should be shown publicly. But he should have known better than to doubt his big sister. Apparently Ishizu only wanted to show off the coffin's bottom half, keeping the much more impressive lid in storage, hiding the finely-carved face and priceless jewels away from prying eyes. She had also prohibited the Domino Museum from translating any hieroglyphics concerning the queen. The sarcophagus would be displayed as belonging to an unnamed queen from an undetermined dynasty.

The young man dropped the large rucksack he had brought with him; countless ropes and thick blankets filled the bag. He laid the ropes out beside the white sarcophagus and placed the folded blankets over the body of it. Tomorrow morning would be an early start as he, Odion and about ten cousins would set to work on moving the sarcophagus. He had felt guilty at first; the Pharaoh and his queen hadn't been separated in five thousand years and now they would be forced apart. But that guilt had been short-lived. Thankfully, Ishizu only wanted the outer sarcophagus sent to Japan; the inner golden coffin and the body of the young queen would remain down here with her lover.

So tomorrow would entail opening the marble sarcophagus for the first time and removing her inner coffin, something he definitely wasn't looking forward to; marble was one of the heaviest rock types around and a golden coffin wasn't very light in weight either; that was the reason why twelve people would be needed. The ropes would help the Tomb Keepers negotiate up the many steps and the blankets were to buffer the trip to the surface and to hide the unusual sarcophagus from tourists, though he doubted many visitors would arrive tomorrow; a sandstorm was forecasted and he hoped it would stop the foreigners from flocking to the valley.

Picking up the now empty rucksack, Marik hoped Ishizu really knew what she was doing in the long-run; there would be a lot of attention surrounding this never-seen-before marble coffin.

The walk back to the surface seemed much quicker than the steep trip underground. The lights were starting to flicker as Marik stopped by the fourth annexe and gave the White Dragon its few seconds of respect as usual; they would need a stronger generator for tomorrow morning if they wanted light for however many hours the careful operation would take. The next two chambers received their fleeting glances, as did the first room, but something in Priest Shada's chamber made the young man stop in his tracks; no one else should be in the tomb.

"Sh … Shadi?"

The sad-looking blue eyes looked up at the name and Marik sighed as he recognised the spirit; the modern clothing had thrown him somewhat. But he hadn't seen the man in years, presuming he had finally found some kind of peace after everything that had happened.

"Forgive me, I just wanted to visit a memory."

Marik took a breath to say something - to tell the restless ghost he had no reason to apologise, but the loud creaking from the tomb's gate distracted him.

"Marik?"

That was Odion's voice. A glance at his watch told Marik he had lost track of time under the ground. When he glanced back into the resting place of High Priest Shada, Shadi had already taken his leave.

* * *

Clothes littered the floor with textbooks strewn all over the carpet; even the waste-paper bin had received an intrusive search. But it was all to no avail so far. Sitting on the floor of her room, Kisara blew her fringe out of her eyes and secured it out of the way with a bobby pin … where else could it be? It wasn't under the bed, in the en-suite, on her bedside table …

Standing, the young woman headed for her wardrobe; her mobile phone had to be somewhere in the house. She grabbed her personal ladder on the way, still a bit wary of the wooden chair after her last experience with it; the bruise had only disappeared a few days ago. The first shelf to get inspected was the one where she kept her box of pictures; no mobile.

She wouldn't have minded it going walkabouts a week ago, when it was only Vivian and Téa who contacted her on the device, but ever since last Saturday she had been trading more and more texts messages with Seto. Kisara smirked as she dragged the wooden chair over to the other side of her wardrobe and stood up on it; he had text her last night saying he'd be late home and she had jokingly replied that it wasn't good enough, that they were over and finished. A few hours later she had been lying in his arms, text completely forgotten about. And it was there she had left her mobile phone on charge; in Seto's room … only it hadn't been there when she'd checked earlier.

Just as she made to turn and stomp back into her room, Kisara let something else catch her attention; since when had there been a door at the back of her wardrobe? It was hidden between a rack of dresses and shelves of jewellery, so it was no wonder she had overlooked the large door until now. Trying the handle, she was even more surprised as it opened before her, expecting it to be locked.

Frigid air blew in, snowflakes following the gust as she stared out onto a huge balcony that overlooked the grounds of the mansion. The stone balcony ran the length of her room with lights fixed into the external wall and metal furniture nestled in one corner. Pulling the door closed again, Kisara turned her attention back to her missing mobile phone again; the balcony would be much more enticing come summer.

So it wasn't in Seto's room and she had already checked the library, kitchen and living room with no results. Looking around at the bombsite she had turned her bedroom into, the young woman concluded that it wasn't here either.

"Too busy making work for the maids to answer your phone?"

Taking a second to look about her destroyed room, Kisara smiled as she nodded her head and looked to the open door, a certain someone standing there with his usual smug smirk.

"I can't find my phone to answer it …"

Her sudden frown and guilty eyes made Seto chuckle; Mokuba had used a look like that when he was younger and had done something wrong. His smile grew all the more as she picked up a couple of books and dumped them on the bed; it would take more than moving a few books to clean the room.

"You won't find it here; you left it in my room this morning."

"I know that, but it wasn't there when I checked … shouldn't you be at work?"

At that comment, Seto moved from the doorway and playfully looped an arm around her waist, pulling Kisara closer to him as she made to pick up some clothes from the cluttered floor. The young woman giggled as she felt his breath tickling by her ear and half-heartedly fought to get loose.

" I didn't know you were keeping tabs on my working hours … by the way, you're friend is downstairs."

She refused to nod her head and tell him that she was indeed keeping tabs on how many hours he worked, because then he'd know that she was counting down until he arrived back at the mansion and his time was hers. In the past week, Kisara knew she had become more aware of how often work seemed to abscond with her fiancé.

"Which friend?"

"The cackling one. _I_ had to share a limo with her because you lost your phone."

She didn't need to ask anymore questions; he was talking about Vivian. Her best friend might have changed her view on Seto, but it was clear the duo would never completely get on; Vivian just loved to annoy Seto too much, and he found just as much amusement in insulting her.

"I'll distract Viv if you find my phone."

"Better idea, how about we just ignore Vivian …"

Kisara let her mind wander away with that suggestion as she felt lips on hers and returned the kiss just as eagerly, but she knew her best friend and knew that Vivian wouldn't be afraid to march upstairs and find her. Another light kiss seemed to put an end to the suggestion as Seto smirked down at her.

In the past week since KaibaCorp's tournament launch, Kisara had found herself sliding into a routine she quite liked. The day was consumed by the library, or by trips out on Domino with Vivian or Téa, but it was the evening she looked forward to most of all. She had lost count of how many films she had talked through, asking more and more questions as she nestled up against him, or just how many times she had called his name into the dark room as he whispered hers lowly. Her own bed hadn't been slept in for seven nights and she was sure word had spread around the mansion of a female sleeping in the right-side of the house.

She had blushed the first few mornings, especially mid-week when Rin had burst in demanding Seto repay her the hours he had _wasted_ sleeping. Truth be told, they hadn't done much sleeping that night. It was the first time Kisara had seen Rin blush and the portly woman had stuttered her apologies and back-tracked out of the room. The door had been locked every night since then … Apart from that embarrassing morning, Kisara found she didn't blush as much when she ran into one of the maids in the right-side of the mansion, though the first morning she had glimpsed Mokuba had elicited bright red cheeks.

Feeling heavy hands on her hips, Kisara smiled all the more as she evaded a kiss and picked up a few more bits and pieces from her floor. It took only a few seconds for the hands to be back and this time the young woman let herself be pulled closer, giggling as a light kiss missed its target and landed on her cheek.

"Didn't you have a rule about boys and girls on separate sides of the mansion?"

Seto smiled as he walked backwards, dragging her with him towards the door as Vivian called from downstairs.

"Screw the rules; I have money …"

"Remind me not to play Monopoly against you."

Whatever response Seto had been ready to fire back was prevented as a familiar shrill ringing bounced around the piano's upstairs foyer. Walking to the piano as Seto answered his phone, Kisara scanned the instrument for her mobile; she hadn't played the piano in a week or two at this stage, but she didn't know where else to look for the elusive gadget. A glance out the large window showed night had fallen a while ago. Blushing lightly, she guessed the day had gotten away from her while she searched for her phone … and she had thought Seto was home early.

"Yeah … I'm on my way."

Looking back as he pocketed his phone, Kisara almost had to do a double take. The last time she'd seen that kind of worry in his eyes had been the morning of the quake when the clothes rail had toppled and he had pulled her to her feet. Abandoning the piano, the young woman brushed a few strands of hair behind her ear.

"Seto?"

"I … I have to go."

"What's wrong?"

It was a few seconds of silent walking before Kisara received an answer to her question, his eyes unfocused as he headed for the stairs. If it hadn't been for her hand in his, she knew she wouldn't have been able to keep up with his rushed stride.

"That was Toshi; Koji's been taken to hospital."

Vivian must have noticed the serious look on his face, for she decidedly headed for the living room without her usual greeting of _Kaiba-poo_. Standing at the base of the stairs, Kisara was thinking back one week; the elderly man had seemed fine at the zoo last Saturday. Now that she thought about it, he had an air of resilience about him the whole time. So how could he have gotten sick enough to need a hospital? A rushed kiss brought her back to the present, along with a low chuckle.

"Don't look so worried Kisara; I'm sure he'll be fine. I'll be back in a while."

Another kiss, this time on her cheek and Seto was gone out the front door of the mansion. If Koji would be fine, then why had he looked so worried? A deliberate cough from the living room made her look up.

"I have chocolate and wine …"

* * *

"Where have you been hiding her? She's gorgeous … I'm stealing her!"

Kisara giggled as Kai bounded back up onto Vivian's lap, lashing her tail from side to side as she barked happily. Barking, when had she started doing that instead of yapping? At five months old, Kai was almost fully-grown now, with only an inch or two left until she matched an adult husky's size. That said, she still had a puppyish face and the attitude to go with it. Watching as Vivian lavished attention on her, Kisara felt guilty; poor Kai had probably been neglected a bit lately. It was too cold to go for walks in the mornings, so her exercise routine had disappeared and she was usually shooed out of a room if she followed someone. It was no wonder the puppy had been seen destroying chew-toys in her basket so much.

"I guess she must have been somewhere else in the mansion when you dropped by last week … and she chews anything, especially shoes."

At that piece of information, Vivian abandoned her stealing-cute-puppy plan; her Jimmy Choo and Prada shoes would look much better without teeth-marks. The hyper husky gave another bark and jumped back down onto the floor of the living room.

"Kai, come on!"

Slapping her hands on her lap, Kisara giggled as Kai immediately jumped up onto the couch beside her and curled up, quite content to be petted by her owner. Her eagerness to please only made Kisara feel more guilty; she had definitely been neglecting poor Kai.

"So, what's the deal? I wouldn't have pegged Kaiba as a dog-guy."

The large bowl of chocolate and mixed sweets received a rummage as Vivian asked the question, flicking through the television channels.

"Well, he wasn't; Kai got here after me. Rebecca, err, Mokuba's girlfriend … you know her, right?"

A nod from her friend told Kisara to carry on.

"Well, she found Kai in a dumpster and her grandfather is allergic, so I asked Seto if we could keep her."

"And he said yes? There's a shocker- oww!"

Vivian laughed as she rubbed her thigh and took another sip of wine; she was starting to learn where exactly the lines lay for insulting Kaiba and how many of those lines she could cross without being caught. She had managed three tonight before a kick to the thigh, that was an average score; a few more glasses of wine and she might even get to five …

"Hey Kisara, you know how you're giving all my time to Kaiba-poo these days?"

"Not true, but go on."

Kisara smirked into her glass of wine as Kai shifted around and scratched at her neck. She had taken off the husky's collar earlier as it had gotten a bit tighter than she would have liked and the young woman made a mental note to re-visit the pet-store for a new one.

"Puh-lease! I'm surprised you two can even walk after the last week of se- oww! Okay I get it, but if you want to be Ms. Innocence, you should cover those hickies with make-up or at least wear a scarf!"

That made her blush as Vivian smiled happily and ravaged the chocolate again. Part of her friend's words were true, but even on the one or two nights without sex, waking up in that bed beside him had been just as pleasing; fidgeting with the silver chain around his neck or just lying there with his arms around her. A somewhat evil laugh from Vivian halted the pleasant trip her imagination had been ready to take. Looking around the living room, Kisara narrowed her gaze; a laugh like that usually meant Viv had done something.

"What?"

"Nothing … just thinking about all the fangirls you've made enemies of …"

"Come again?"

Vivian took her time in switching television stations a few more times before she looked back to her friend with a wink.

"I'm just saying, as a former fangirl, I'm sure you weren't the most popular person when the news broke you two were to get hitched. But now they're gonna know you two are sleeping with each other."

"How?"

"Fangirls just _know_, and with those lovely hickies right there, you might aswell stroll around Domino with a sign saying 'I just slept with the guy you love!', pass the wine please."

Shaking her head, Kisara passed over the bottle of rosé against her better judgement and delved into the bowl of chocolate and sweets for herself.

"So why didn't you answer my calls?"

It was Kisara's turn to rub her thigh as a kick met it.

"Because I can't find my phone, that's why!"

An answering kick glanced past its target and Viv smiled happily as she stuck her tongue out. She didn't mind the not-answering-the-phone so much; she had had to share a limo with Kaiba and there was only so much silence before talk had turned to a certain person they had in common.

"What took you so long earlier? I was standing in that foyer like a lemon."

She should have told Vivian she was too busy destroying her room to rush downstairs or that some rules had been disregarded, but, possibly due to the wine, her newly discovered-balcony was what barged its way out of her mouth.

"I was checking out a door in my wardrobe."

"Wow! Did you find Narnia?"

Vivian's wide eyes and open mouth sent both of them into a fit of laughter that made even Kai look up. Kisara felt her sides beginning to hurt as Vivian leaned away from her and tried to catch her breath; so maybe finding a door in one's wardrobe wasn't a great conversation-starter.

"Oh, you deserved that one, Ashbrook."

"Well-played …"

Kisara lapsed back into laughter as she nodded her head; she had left herself wide open for the ridicule. A few more giggling spells surfaced as the two young women let the television have its attention for a little while; the weather-forecast warned of more snow next week, something Kisara was quickly losing her love for. Nudging Vivian with her foot, she pulled her gaze from the late-night news.

"Were you gonna say something else?"

"Huh?"

"When you said I was spending all my time with Seto?"

At that, Vivian smiled widely and nodded her head. The young woman picked up her large handbag from the floor and grinned as she started searching through it.

"Well, I thought if I could bribe you back to the dark side …"

Giving up on trying to pull the items from her bag, Viv decidedly turned it upside down, letting its contest fall onto the couch between her and Kisara. She beamed proudly as her friend picked up a few of the DVDs and locked eyes with her.

"Where did you-"

"Shops, internet, eBay … _duh_."

Kisara was too busy inspecting the many DVD cases to see her friend roll her eyes and shake her head. There had to be about twenty DVDs scattered over the couch with a few having fallen to the floor; _Cinderella_, _Bambi_, _Snow_ _White_, _Dumbo_ and others she had seen once upon a time. Vivian smiled as she reached for the smaller handbag she had brought with her; the large one had been for not only for the DVDs, but for the wine and snacks too. The smaller bag held something she didn't want to lose.

"And because I know your other one is in France, I got this."

How she didn't let loose a squeal as she handed over the DVD, Vivian didn't know, but she couldn't keep the wide smile from her face as Kisara turned her attention to the newest movie.

The golden ball-gown was one she recognised along with the pretty brunette wearing it. The bickering candelabra and pendulum clock looked quite content in the top right corner of the cover. Beneath them was one of the film's main protagonists, his blue eyes staring out at her … blue eyes that she had never taken so much notice of before.

"I know it's your fave …"

Placing the DVD of _Beauty and the Beast _on her lap, Kisara looked back to her friend, completely caught off-guard.

"But why?"

"Call it three years of missed birthdays."

Vivian shrugged as she leaned forwards and picked _Les Misérables _and a few more movies up off the floor. She knew Disney was a favourite of her friend's, along with the many stage productions that went with it … actually anything with drama and music was tendering to the European's tastes. Give that girl any musical and she'd be happy.

"You remembered?"

Now that was something that made Vivian drop the DVDs back onto the floor in an instant. Kisara was looking back down at the DVDs when she glanced to her, but her cheeks were a little coloured as she brushed some hair behind her ear. Wherever her stupid uncle was, he had a hell of a lot to answer for in the duelist's opinion.

Looking to the emptied contents of her handbag, the model grabbed a pen and sifted around for the pad of bright pink sticky notes she knew to be there somewhere. It wasn't as if she carried the things around with her constantly … one of Kaiba's receptionists had been none-too-pleasant when she had asked to speak to him, so she had stolen the woman's sticky notes; kleptomania offered small victories now and again. Finding the small stack of neon-pink paper, Vivian put the pen to work and happily removed the top post-it note. Reaching across the couch, she slapped the post-it down onto the cover of _Beauty and the Beast _with a satisfied smile.

"Of course I remembered … it was only three years; you didn't think you'd get rid of me _that_ easily, did you?"

Looking down at the pink note with its large "_November 3__rd__!_" and crude sketch of a birthday cake and gift, Kisara smiled and shook her head. No, she hadn't thought she would get rid of Vivian after three years; that hadn't been what had scared her.

"I was afraid I'd lost you that easily …"

"No, you don't get to say that! It wasn't your fault you had to leave China."

"But I should have called or something and-"

"And what exactly? Tell me nothing changed and it all went back to the way it was? Your aunt only waited one month before she shipped you off to England … you tell me that wasn't because of him!"

Grabbing the DVD with the post-it note out of Kisara's hand, Vivian stood from the couch and marched to the television. The young woman swept short black strands behind her ear as she bent down to the DVD player's level and busied herself for a few seconds, temper getting the better of her as the machine took its time.

"That's not fair, Viv."

Placing the disk in the tray, she stood and turned on the spot, guilt already flaring up as she looked to Kisara; there was a lot that wasn't fair in that girl's life. It wasn't fair that her father had died before her first birthday, it wasn't fair that her mother had died when she was four, that her cousin had followed suite when she was sixteen and that it had been eleven-year-old Kisara to find the teen's body … but most of all it wasn't fair that she had been dealt that kind of hand in life. Vivian had always lived the high-life and loved it; she was the only child of two rich jewellers and had been a successful model, actress and even won a number of Kung Fu championships before turning her attention to Duel Monsters. So how come she got all the good and Kisara was saddled with her lot?

Walking back to the sofa, Vivian eyed the cute husky and scooped the dog up into her arms, if only to move the fluff-ball and let her sit beside her friend.

"Scooch over pooch."

It was a quiet few seconds as Kisara raised the remote control and began the movie, with Vivian petting the tired Kai as she fell back asleep. But it was a quietness that was short-lived as Viv draped an arm around Kisara's shoulders in a hug.

"You know I love you, chick."

Though she didn't say anything, Kisara did return the hug and let a small smile fall. Yup, things were just like back in China.

It was about half-way through the film when Vivian found her sense of humour surfacing to have its way with Disney's animation; there was a singing scene outside in the snow and the two main characters seemed awfully amazed that they were starting to fall in love with the household staff watching on.

"That could totally be you and Kaiba- oww!"

Though she did elbow her friend, Kisara couldn't stop herself from giggling lightly as Belle scattered birdseed … now she'd never be able to watch _Beauty and the Beast _without that thought in her head.

"So … if Kaiba's Beast, then who's Gaston?"

Vivian prepared herself for an elbow or kick, but it never came. Instead, she received a giggling shrug as Kisara took a sip of wine; now she would be on the look-out for someone who could pass as a Gaston.

"I knew I had something to ask you!"

"No, Viv, I didn't find Narnia."

"Damn … I wanted to hear Aslan's sexy voice; the things Liam Neeson can do to me."

And the laughter was back again, spat completely forgotten about as the television flashed a montage of Belle and Beast growing closer. The near-empty bowl of chocolate was rooted through again before Vivian looked back to Kisara.

"No, in all seriousness though. Have you talked to Pegasus yet?"

"Maximillion ... umm, no. I mean, I doubt we have much to talk about to be quite honest …"

Finding the remote, Vivian paused the film and took a mouthful of wine, the husky pup yawning in her sleep.

"Well, I got talking to him at Kaiba's tournament launch. Turns out he and Kaiba haven't been on the greatest terms in the past few years, which is why he hasn't tried to contact you. But he said he'd like to explain himself to you someday, to find out more about you."

Vivian stopped short as Kisara shifted on the couch and swept hair behind her ear; that either meant she was lying or uneasy. She didn't really blame her though; she barely new the guy, but he had reasoning and possibly caring behind his actions, as she had discovered at the tournament launch.

"Listen Kisara, he told me he sent you dozens of letters after you moved to France, but when you didn't respond he kept the more important things on his island."

"The m-more important things?"

Vivian nodded her head as she kneeled on the sofa and looked her friend dead-on.

"He has stuff belonging to your parents; he said he didn't send them because he wasn't sure you would get them. But Kisara, it's not just the stuff, I mean he _knew_ them; their personalities, hobbies favourite colours even. Maybe talking to him wouldn't be that bad an idea …"

When she didn't answer, Vivian sat back down beside her and pulled the younger girl into another hug, speaking lowly as she un-paused the movie and let the romance on the screen play through.

"He told me to tell you something …"

* * *

It was nearing midday as the teenager walked through the gates of Domino's cemetery. He had been planning on visiting first thing this morning, but Mokuba had offered to take care of some KaibaCorp business for his brother. Seto hadn't arrived home from the hospital until about two am in the morning with little news on Koji. Seeing as his brother hadn't caught much sleep in the past two days, the teen had offered to take all calls this morning, putting his plans on hold for a few hours.

Mokuba caught his balance as his foot hit an icy patch on the cement path. He usually made this visit in the new year's first few days, but he was a bit late this year. Still, the teenager was glad Suzu had managed to distract Rebecca for a few hours. He loved being with her and he loved his girlfriend's upbeat attitude about most things, but he wanted to be alone as he did this. Bec hadn't know this person at all, she had probably heard tales about him from Yugi's friends, but she hadn't actually met him and spent time with him.

The teen smirked as he found the grave he was looking for. Seto didn't talk about him at all, it was almost as much of a no-go as mentioning Gozaburo in the mansion, but Mokuba didn't mind. He had visited this grave for the past three years every New Year, for the boy's birthday and for the anniversary of his death. And every single time he would visit, Mokuba would find that someone had beaten him to the punch and laid flowers or something else meaningful by the headstone. One year it had been a picture of the boy and his mother, a framed photograph that had once sat on the mantelpiece in the library.

Even if Seto didn't mention the boy, Mokuba was happy knowing his brother acknowledged the kid in his own way, such as the wilting Christmas wreathe that stood at the base of the headstone, or the snow that was cleared away from the same stone to reveal the boy's name underneath. Laying the bouquet of lilies beside the wreathe, the teen crouched by the front of the grave and ran a hand through his hair.

"Happy New Year, Noah."

If anyone from the Battle City tournament saw him here, he knew they'd question his actions. Noah had had him kidnapped and then brainwashed him to use against Seto, or at least that's what he'd been told afterwards. To this day, he couldn't remember a thing between seeing the fake Seto and then seeing his brother dueling against Noah; it was all a complete blank.

And yet, it was here that Mokuba had come when Rebecca had agreed to go out with him; he had told Seto first, but then he had wandered down to Domino's cemetery and told the brother he'd never had. He had told Noah when he had made it to the school soccer team, when he had scored his first goal and then his first hat-trick. If Noah could talk, he'd probably tell him to shut up and go live his life somewhere. But that was something Mokuba couldn't do without feeling guilty. If he came down here and let Noah in all the happenings, then that guilt didn't weigh as heavily.

"Big news since the last time, bro. Seto's getting married to this girl from France. Name's Kisara … she's really something, you'd like her …"

He had every right to curse Noah Kaiba and ignore that he ever existed, but his step-brother didn't deserve it. The kid had been lonely and isolated; feelings Mokuba knew well. True that it didn't excuse all Noah had did to them those years ago, but he had changed his ways in the end and saved them all, even stopping Gozaburo from getting Seto. But what made him come back year after year was the fact that they were brothers. Maybe not by blood, but that didn't matter to Mokuba as he shook some more snowflakes from his hair and stood. He righted the picture of Noah and his mother, wiping snow from the glass before setting it back down and taking a step backwards.

"I've got to go, but I'll bring more news next time, bro."

Giving the headstone a last look, Mokuba buried his hands in the pockets of his jacket and continued on down the path, knowing it to lead out the other side of the large cemetery. Looking about the graveyard, the teen took note of how few people were visiting today; most people had probably paid their respects earlier in the week and avoided the heavy snow that had fallen for the past two days.

There was a middle-aged couple inspecting a grave two rows over with an elderly woman brushing snow from a headstone at the far end of the cemetery. It was as he cast an eye around the whole graveyard that something caught Mokuba's attention over by a line of bare trees. There was a bench under the trees that faced towards a row of graves. Walking across the near-empty cemetery, Mokuba walked up behind the person sitting on the bench, smiling lightly as Kai wagged her tail.

"This seat taken?"

Blinking out of whatever reverie she had been in, Kisara looked up and flashed a surprised smile, shaking her head as Kai ran circles around the teenager's feet. Brushing snow from the bench, Mokuba shot his brother's fiancée a sideways glance; her eyes looked a little red and she was sniffing. Something told him it wasn't because of any cold.

It only took a few seconds for his eyes to settle on the grave in front of them. Two pictures were fixed into the headstone, one of a young blond man and the other of a pretty young Japanese woman. Suzu had told him about Kisara's mother being a famous pianist that worked for Pegasus; he didn't need too be a genius to work out who the two people were. Another sniff from Kisara made him glance at her again; he glimpsed what could have been a tear before she wiped at her cheek.

"Do you remember them?"

He asked the question lowly as the middle-aged couple he had spotted walked by the bench. A few seconds dragged by as he played give-me-the-paw with Kai; three weeks of repetition had finally gotten the trick through to her.

"My father died when I was a baby, but I remember _kachan_ … barely."

"_Kachan_? Japanese?"

"I lived in Japan until I was four; that's what I was told to call her, but _mama_ seemed easier for me. She used to laugh when I called her that …"

Mokuba gave a little chuckle as Kisara's eyes stared off into her memories. He could remember drilling Rebecca on correct terms for parents when she had moved to Japan from America, but she had gotten frustrated and decided that shouting '_hey you_!' worked just as well. Seeing her wipe a few more would-be tears away, Mokuba moved his attention back to Kisara.

"I'm sorry, Mokuba …"

She tried to laugh as she said it and wiped away at the stubborn tears that wouldn't stop welling. Kisara couldn't understand why it was this upsetting for her; she hadn't even known these people. Maximillion had told Vivian to let her know where her parents were buried and Viv had done just that … and offered to accompany her to the cemetery. But she had said no, not planning on visiting the graveyard at all. The young woman had instead returned to the large pet-store to get that new collar for Kai, but her conscience had made her walk towards the city's cemetery afterwards.

"Don't be."

Kisara gave a watery smile as she felt an knee bump against hers and looked up to see his usual genuine smile, the smile she had seen on her first day in Japan and the same smile his younger self flashed in the locket around her neck.

"Vivian offered to come with me for a shoulder to cry on, but I said no …"

One or two more tears streaked down to her chin and Mokuba couldn't help but feel sorry for Kisara as she tried to blink them away; he sort of knew where she was coming from on this matter. Another bump of his knee against hers.

"I've got a shoulder if you need one."

Kisara couldn't stop a weak smile from surfacing as he put an arm around her in a half-hug, squeezing lightly until she laughed.

"Thanks, Mokuba."

"Not a problem, I told you I was the _other_ Kaiba brother; the one you can use when Seto's not around. Now how about we make Seto and Bec jealous and go get something hot to drink … I'm freezing!"

Another laugh barged its way out as Kisara nodded her head and stood from the bench, letting Mokuba take Kai's leash. She looked to the gravesite and made a silent promise to return soon. Turning and walking towards Seto's brother, Kisara bunched her scarf up around her neck as the wind blew snowflakes in every direction. It suddenly felt like there was a whole other life she had missed out on ... a life that currently resided with Maximillion Pegasus.

They walked to the cemetery's gate in silence, save for the crunching of snow. Exiting the cemetery, Kisara noticed how busy Domino's streets seemed as Mokuba led the way towards a residential area she had never been before.

"Mokuba, do you remember the taking turns with questions?"

"Yup, shoot; I am an open book … mostly pictures and very little text though."

Even Kai seemed to pick up on the joke in his words as she barked and whipped her tail back and forth. The husky was so delighted to be out in the busy, exciting city.

"Do you remember them? Your biological parents…"

Kisara watched as he ran a hand through his hair, something that struck a chord with her; Seto done that if he was confused or tired. Smirking lightly, the young woman noticed how alike the two brothers were for the first time.

"I don't know really, I mean my mother died when I was born and whenever I try to remember my father all I see is Seto … he's always kinda been my dad."

Kisara smiled as Mokuba shrugged his shoulders to finish the answer, looking about the new street they had entered. There were more people on this small street and vendors called from open shop-fronts. She had been on a similar street while shopping with Téa; apparently Domino had lots of these secondary smaller streets with local markets and fresh produce.

"My turn to ask?"

Kisara nodded her head as he handed over Kai's leash.

"It's tea with milk and sugar, right?"

A nod and bright smile was his answer as Kai strained at her lead. He had done something like that on her first day in the mansion; she had asked him something about Rebecca and he had responded with a question about food. Watching as the teenager paid for the two to-go mugs, Kisara smiled lightly as he said his thanks and bowed lightly, bowing again as the shopkeeper bowed lower than him. Mokuba probably deserved the deeper bow due to social status, but as a youngster speaking to an adult, he seemed determined to show his respect as he bowed again before leaving. If Seto had been his dad all along, then he had raised him well.

"Here ya go … so any more questions? _C'est votre tour_."

"_Très bon._ Oh, is there any news on Koji?"

She hadn't seen Seto last night, then again she supposed it didn't help falling asleep on the couch with Vivian after somehow making it through three more movies and two more bottles of wine. Vivian was now adamant about buying _The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe _on DVD purely for Aslan's voice.

"Well, Toshi said his lungs were bad last night, which is why he called the ambulance-"

"Toshi?"

That had been bugging her since Seto had mentioned his name last night; she knew Toshi got on with Koji and everything, but why would he be so close to the man to know if he was taken ill in the middle of the night?

"Yeah, Miki's dad; he's a doctor. Runs in his family; his dad was a doctor before starting up the pharmaceutical company."

"Oh …"

Kisara supposed being a doctor would suit Toshi in retrospect; he was quiet and kind with a demeanour that would put anyone at ease.

"Anyways, I don't think Seto got home 'till about two or three in the morning. Things are a bit worse than they thought; Koji has a bad infection in his lungs and some of the doctors are even saying pneumonia too."

"Seto looked worried last night, is he close to Koji?"

There was a pause for a few seconds as a couple of children lost control of their soccer ball and it was sent skimming up the narrow back-street. Stopping the black-and-white ball, Mokuba passed it back to a small boy about half his age, smirking as he received a light bow as a thanks.

"I said Seto's like my dad, well Koji would be kinda like that to Seto, just not on the same degree. Koji used to hate KaibaCorp in the old days of weapon-manufacturing. As soon as Seto converted the company Koji was knocking on the door ready to help out with everything and anything. I think he's close to Toshi because of his name … Koji's son was called Toshihiro, which is Toshi's full name."

"Koji has children?"

Just like the day she had asked about Miki's mother, Kisara knew her foot had somehow jumped into her mouth with that question. Mokuba didn't cringe or shake his head, he just flashed a sad smile as Kai tried to bite at the falling snowflakes.

"He had two kids from his first marriage, Toshihiro and Setsuko, I think they were about five and two though I could be wrong. His wife's name was Ai, Seto told me she was training to be a Geisha, but gave it up to marry him when she was still a Maiko … that means-"

"She was a junior Geisha with the red collar."

The surprise in Mokuba's eyes made her shrug as she sipped at the tea he had bought her.

"What? I've seen _Memoirs of A Geisha _…"

The teen seemed to find a lot of amusement in that comment as they crossed a road and emerged onto one of Domino's main streets. The atmosphere seemed completely different compared to the thin and winding secondary streets with their families and children playing outside; all that flitted about on the main streets were business-suited people.

"What happened to them? Koji's family?"

"They, ummm, they lived in Hiroshima during the second World War …"

Kisara didn't know what to say in response to that, or even if she should say anything at all. She didn't know what she'd been expecting, but the finality of Mokuba's words seemed sobering coming from the upbeat youngster.

"Is it okay is we drop by Bec's? You haven't met her grandpa yet, have you?"

Shaking her head, Kisara looked up to Mokuba grinning happily again. She honestly wondered if his good humour could be smothered by anything, he just seemed to be smiling or laughing the whole time and she didn't begrudge him for it at all.

"Hey Kisara … I guess I don't have to show you that library anymore."

She felt the blush start from the very tips of her toes and work its way up to her face in an instant. She could play dumb and explain that Seto had showed her where the library was a few days ago, but she could tell by his voice that he wasn't talking about the library at all.

"I … uhhh …"

She looked up as the teenager began laughing lightly, running a hand through his hair again.

"Calm down. I'm sixteen, not six. Besides, I'll have to get used to sharing the right-side of the house with my sister-in-law anyways, right sis?"

Kisara nodded her head slowly, a happy smile spreading as Mokuba caught her in the same half-hug squeeze from earlier and Kai barked at a passing cat.

"Right."

* * *

**A/n- ****Thanks to everyone for taking the time to read this newest chapter, and I'm sorry if I got a little prose-happy with Marik at the beginning … can you tell I wanted to be an Egyptologist once upon a time? Thanks again guys! XxxxxxxxxxxxX (Oh, props to anyone who got the Abridged quote … what can I say? I knew about the quote before Abridged caught my attention … )**

**Note 1: **_Shawabtis_ are small little funerary figurines placed in Egyptian tombs. They were intended as a substitute for the Pharaoh should he be needed to do some kind of labour in the afterlife. _Canopic Jars _are the large pots with either the head of the Pharaoh or (in later dynasties) the head of the gods on the top; they usually hold body organs after mummification. _Kachan_ is a less formal way for a child to address their mother in Japan. Also, Mokuba bows multiple times to try and convey his respect to the shopkeeper; in Japan, if someone bows lower than you and you believe they deserve the greater respect, then you bow again … this can sometimes lead to lengthy exchanges of gradually shallower bows.

**Note 2:** The reason I mentioned Marik having cousins is because there are lots of people present after his birth, when his father holds him up to the moonlight. And for the Tomb Keepers to work logically as an organisation, I think they would need more than one man and three children.

**Note 3: **And I have to give the credit for the Narnia-line to Renolvr, who greeted me with that response after reading the rough draft about the balcony_._


	32. Limitation

**Author's Note:** Study should probably be the topic of this month, with two more exams to go, but I just felt too guilty not updating for almost two months. As per usual, I'm really sorry for the wait guys and I hope you all like this chapter! Thanks to Renolvr for her beta-reading!

* * *

"_What am I fighting? Afraid of losing_"

* * *

Pulling on her jacket, Akari cast a glance at the large bed. Eight maid uniforms were folded on the double-bed, a sign that six o'clock had arrived. Two of the older maids, Naoki and Takara were rostered to stay until seven, but it was home-time for everyone else. Grabbing her handbag, the petite maid headed out of the end room on the ground floor of the mansion.

She, Kimiko and Aki had spent most of the day taking down Christmas decorations and moving the boxes back up into the attic with help from some of the other maids. The mansion looked a little bare without the shiny tinsel or chewed baubles that had become commonplace over the last few weeks, but the short maid found herself looking forward to the new year and whatever it held. Walking towards the foyer, Akari could hear the television in the living room; the only noise interrupting the silence.

The house always seemed to relax once night fell, with less people running about its halls and flitting from room to room. With only a week left until the dueling tournament started for real, Mr. Kaiba had been at KaibaCorp all day, and would probably remain there until late into the night. Mokuba was currently in the city, training at his old boxing club for another hour or two. The teen had been spotted out on the city with Ms. Ashbrook earlier in the day, or so Isamu had told her. Akari had been happy to hear of that; she didn't need to be a genius to work out why the young woman's bed didn't need to be made as often as usual, or why so many of Mr. Kaiba's hoodies kept surfacing in her room. Even she could notice her employer spending more time in the mansion these days. It was probably a bit early to cast aspirations, but Akari could already see a family unit of sorts emerging in the house.

But the mansion seemed devoid of any inhabitants as the short maid walked through the silent ground floor. The last she had seen of Ms. Ashbrook had been Rebecca dragging the heiress into the living room, adamant on hi-jacking the many new DVDs that had materialised last night. Even Kai was adding to the quietness; fast asleep in her basket in the foyer.

Tip-toeing past the dreaming husky, Akari headed for the utility room to check her hours for next week; Isamu had a few plans for his next day off and she wanted to be sure work didn't call on that particular day. Even if she was rostered, it wouldn't be the end of the world; surely one of the other maids would swap hours with her … though that new girl would probably give her the cold shoulder instead. A whole week and the new maid still seemed awfully taciturn. Akari found herself hoping the girl was just nervous in her new job, or she would find herself off of that high horse in a heartbeat.

The sound of the doorbell stopped the maid just short of the kitchen door; there were no scheduled visits this late at night, especially as Mr. Kaiba was still at KaibaCorp. Then again, it could always be Mokuba home early; it wouldn't be the first time the teenager had forgotten or lost his house-key. Crossing the foyer, Akari readied a few smart comments for the younger Kaiba. Her smile disappeared as a familiar face glared back with a unimpressed look, a look Akari knew was mirrored on her own face.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Flicking a lock of hair over her shoulder, Rie Mitsuru flashed a smirk and shook her head.

"Is that anyway for a hired hand to speak?"

"Do you see a maid's uniform on me right now? On my own time, I can speak however I want to."

The dark eyes looked her up and down, finally concluding with the same unimpressed look as before. Examining her nails, Rie looked over the annoying girl's head and into the foyer.

"I want to speak to Kisara, dwarf."

"I doubt Ms. Ashbrook wants to speak with you, stick-insect."

Akari took her turn to look the model up and down poignantly, finishing with what her mother called her "disgusted face", usually reserved for visits to her grandparents house in the mountains. Isamu had told her of the happenings at the tournament launch; fuel to the fire of contempt she already held for Mr. Kaiba's ex.

"Oh, just get out of my way, Frodo."

Before she could muster a quick-witted response, Akari heard the living room door open to her right, Kai immediately racing across the foyer to her owner and Rebecca.

"Is everything alright, Akari?"

The pintsize felt guilt well up in her stomach as Ms. Ashbrook saw Rie on the doorstep, a deep blush instantly claiming her cheeks as the model scoffed lightly. She should have just slammed the door in Rie's face instead of trading insults. Thankfully a loud voice barged its way between Ms. Ashbrook and Rie.

"You must be confused fake-boobs, see I remember Seto breaking up with you …"

Akari had to swallow a laugh as Rebecca stood beside her and stuck her tongue out. If one thing could be said about Mokuba's girlfriend, she wasn't by any means a subtle individual.

"I only came by out of compassion … I know what it feels like to be left in the dark by him too."

"E-excuse me?"

The quiet question from Kisara was exactly what Rie had been hoping for. The young brunette shrugged her shoulders and examined her nails again, feigning the same innocent tone of voice she had used last week.

"I just thought you would be angry after seeing the news this evening, I mean a time-limit … who would have known?"

"W-what are you t-talking about?"

Wow, that girl really could blush. Rie made no attempt to hide her wide smirk as the European's cheeks turned crimson; she hadn't known blushes could be quite that deep in colour. When she spoke next, all traces of innocent sympathy were gone from her voice, replaced by satisfaction.

"The time-limit on your fake-ass marriage, of course. Only about eighteen months left until wedding bells _have_ to ring ..."

"That's it, go now! And don't let the gate hit you on the way out!"

Pointing towards the mansion's gates, Akari barely kept the shout from her voice. That girl had some nerve, showing up on the doorstep and spewing utter nonsense just to upset Ms. Ashbrook. Slamming the door in the model's face, the short maid was faced with only Rebecca and a fully-awake Kai; the sound of the evening news on the living room television told her where Ms. Ashbrook had disappeared to.

* * *

He should have known things would end up going downhill again; karma always had a soft-spot for him. For the first time in ages, he'd been able to have a lie-in thanks to Mokuba taking all calls this morning and, whether it was the extra sleep or just a whim, an idea had struck him. An idea he had followed up on before going to KaibaCorp. The culmination of which now resided in the back pocket of his jeans.

He had managed to get through midday with barely any problems aside from monitoring the ongoing amateur duels taking place all over Domino; two out of the six available spaces had been filled already, with only another week before the professional tier of the new tournament started up.

But the afternoon news bulletin had brought with it some omens of trouble and an inkling of what was to come on the six o'clock news. Seto knew he should have smelled a rat last night when Kisara said she couldn't find her phone, but he'd been distracted by Toshi's phone call. The midday news had put him on edge, what with quotes of very familiar text messages. As if that wasn't bad enough, text messages weren't the greatest medium for jokes; now the whole media world was abuzz. Apparently he and Kisara were broken up on her initiative; a joking text she had sent him last week … a text that had somehow been leaked to the press.

But that hadn't been the worst. KaibaCorp had been plagued with calls from reporters looking for a confirmation or denial of the rumours, but his publicity team had held steadfast all day, able to keep the tide of paparazzi at bay until six o'clock arrived. As if the prospect of a leak at the mansion wasn't bad enough news, the evening headlines had only added to his foul humour.

Weeks upon weeks had passed since his board of attorneys had combed through every single letter of that will, examining it from all possible angles. The only thing they had found had been the fine print on his marriage, the time-limit of twenty-one months. After those months rolled by, then there had to be a wedding.

He had been teaching her how to duel that day; she had asked him to teach her the previous evening after they had visited the pet store, but then his mobile had started ringing and … how come he could remember it all so perfectly, but had forgotten to tell her about the time-limit? He had shoved that piece of paper into a drawer in his study and left it there to ruminate for a couple of months.

Seto felt guilt claw at his stomach as Hiroki steered the limo onto the secondary road leading to the mansion. Rin was already quizzing the maids, though he doubted any of them would have leaked the information; they'd never had a leak before now and the young man was honestly clueless about how the press had gotten their hands on the text messages and his step-father's will. But that wasn't why he was feeling guilty. He should have told Kisara about the time-limit, he'd had every intention too, but had just forgotten. If he had any sense, the young man would recognise this as a warning about keeping secrets and tell her everything, from overhearing her Chinese conversation with Vivian to the so-called rumours about Gozaburo that weren't exactly fabricated. Maybe even stretch to her uncle and what had happened in the past, but Seto knew he wouldn't come clean about any of those things.

The gates of the mansion loomed too quickly for his liking, followed closely by the double doors of his home. The door was already slightly open and he readied himself to block Kai's exit as he crossed the threshold into the foyer, but the puppy made no attempt to run for freedom. Rin stopped mid-rant as he closed the door behind him. Even Kai seemed to fear the atmosphere in the house as she lay quietly by Rebecca's feet, the teenager sitting on the bottom of the stairs. A line-up of maids stood before Rin, something that caught him off-guard; only Naoki and Takara were supposed to be here, but all of the maids stood in a line and faced the wrath of his secretary with aplomb. The same secretary that set her sights on him next.

"And what have-"

"Save your breath, Rin. Where's Kisara?"

She didn't answer and he knew why. Rin might be one of his most trustworthy employees, but she was a stone wall when it came to personal matters. If she had her way, he would be down in the foyer until they sorted this whole disaster out and named the person leaking to the press. The mansion had never had such a problem before and Seto found himself angry, wanting to know who was giving details of his private life away, but there were more important things to think of.

"She's in her room, Mr. Kaiba."

Akari was the one to break the tense silence, staring down Rin's glare as she did so. He nodded and headed for the stairs, only making it up a couple before Rebecca spoke.

"Word of warning, Vivian's up there too."

Great, that added to his problem. Not only did he have no idea how to explain himself to Kisara, but Vivian wasn't likely to stand in silence and let him defend his actions.

Walking down the hall leading to the piano's foyer, Seto could already hear Rin giving Akari what-for. That was something else he'd have to deal with later. That woman had a foul temper and she had no qualms about taking it out on people. He had no doubt she was currently accusing each of the maids of giving in to the media-world and selling information, something he knew none of the women would do. Each one had worked in the mansion for years and nothing like this had ever happened before now.

As soon as she saw him, Vivian had her sights locked-on and ready to fire. Had it really only been a week ago that she had admitted being wrong about him? She had honestly thought the Kaiba she knew had changed for the better, that maybe Seto had taken his place instead, but she had only been kidding herself apparently.

"You! You haven't changed at all, have you?"

"Oh, don't start-"

"Don't start?"

Vivian glanced to the locked door beside her and lowered her voice to a hushed tone.

"That's my best friend in there and, believe it or not, she actually cares about you … a limit on the engagement, Kaiba! I mean, if there was anything to tell her, it was that!"

He wanted to fire back a few retorts and put Vivian in her place, but his mouth stayed shut. He should have said he cared about Kisara too, but that was none of Vivian's business in his opinion. As for the time-limit, he had no other excuse other than he had forgotten. Smooth-talker or what.

A few minutes of silence dragged by as Vivian seemed to run out of steam. She had said her piece and had nothing else to fire at Kaiba for now other than to control his pitbull of a secretary; the woman had actually accused her of talking to the press. As silence circled around the locked door, Viv started to feel her own conscience prickling ... maybe she shouldn't have said that to him; of course he had changed, otherwise he wouldn't be here at Kisara's door.

"She won't open the door for me. Just … just make sure she's okay. I'm going to join the battle against your secretary; the maids look like they could use some help."

Despite himself, Seto hid a small smirk; Akari and Vivian against Rin? He had no doubt the duo would have their work cut out for them nonetheless. He let a few more seconds tick by, trying to somehow come up with a convincing argument in his head, but to no avail. Amazing, he could write linear algorithms all day long and produce top-grade holograms, but try as he might the young man couldn't come up with a defence for himself. With no other options he knocked on her door.

"Go away, Viv."

"It's not Vivian, Kisara."

He didn't know what he'd been expecting as an answer, but it definitely wasn't silence. A shout was something he could have dealt with, maybe even a rant or two, but the quietness only made him feel guiltier. He was mad too; mad at the press and at himself for letting it get to this … so surely she had every reason to blame him for this mess too.

"Kisara, can I come in?"

Seto leaned his head against the door as he spoke. It took a few more seconds, but eventually the sound of a lock being turned broke the silence, along with a quiet voice.

"It's your house."

Seto found himself taken aback by her words. Hadn't he said something like that to her all those months ago? The day she had arrived and he'd shown her the piano; the day when they had tried to find some equal footing to stand on. All he could remember of that day was a lot of blushing on her part and a few dead-end conversations on his. And it scared him that they could go back to all that so quickly.

"Don't say that."

Kisara shrugged as she walked back to her bed. She had been so sure that Rie was merely lying to upset her, but then the evening news couldn't be lying too. The young woman didn't know if she was angry at Rie, Seto or even herself. Maybe things had been going too well for the past few weeks; she should have known it was too good to be true.

Uninspired to do anything else, Kisara sat on the edge of her bed and fidgeted with her phone. The device had finally turned up on the piano, somewhere she knew she didn't leave it; she had even checked the piano last night with no results. Juggling the guilty phone from one hand to the other, she spoke.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Though she didn't look up, she knew he'd run a hand through his hair before answering, like she knew he wrapped an arm around her when she talked through a movie, or how that same arm would hold her closer to him at night. Or at least, that was what she thought she knew.

"I forgot. Look, be angry and yell at me. Just …"

He trailed off as she finally looked up at him and shook her head lightly. He hated this, he hated being to blame for something and he hated that she wasn't shouting at him to get out of her room and to leave her alone. All those other girls had shouted the house down and a few had even thrown objects at him, but Seto had found that amusing more than anything. This quietness was something new to him though and he could already feel the anger fizzling out of the room and guilt taking its place. And if there was one thing Seto Kaiba hated it was feeling guilty.

"How long did you know about it?"

"The day after we got Kai."

He sat down on the wooden chair next to her desk, trying to somehow formulate a way to fix this glitch. But glitches in real life couldn't be fixed as easily as their computer counterparts. All he could do was try to explain his position; why he had forgotten to tell her. The young man heaved a sigh before speaking again.

"I had my attorneys looking for a loophole out of the marriage. They couldn't find one, but they found the limit. I left the will in a drawer in my study and forgot all about it until today."

She should have asked how he could forget about such an important detail or why he hadn't told her that day, but Kisara's attention had decidedly focused on a different topic of his explanation.

"A loophole? I don't blame you either …"

It had only been a couple of months ago that she had still been a teenager and Kisara felt every bit one as she stood from her bed and made for the door, Rie's words from earlier starting to clash about in her head; a fake-ass marriage. Seto couldn't help but groan as he registered his own words; he should have guessed she'd take it to heart. Making it to the door just as she opened it, he pushed it closed again and kept his hand on it.

"Why does it keep coming back to this?"

"Seto, let go! Let me out!"

Pulling at the handle to no avail, Kisara blew her fringe out of her eyes and resisted the urge to stomp her foot like a proper little teenager. She had kept a level-head like her aunt had taught her and she hadn't been all that cut-up about the time-limit, or that someone was leaking her text messages to the press. Even the prospect that he had been trying to find a way out the marriage didn't make her angry, but what did was not being able to run from the situation.

"No, not until we sort this out once and for all."

Hearing his words, Kisara stopped pulling at the handle. It had been so much easier to convince herself that it was all a lie in th beginning. Her earlier days in the mansion had been built on that assumption … up until they had practiced their dancing in the foyer. That day had turned everything on its head. A work-obsessed egotistical tycoon; that had been one of the nicer descriptions she had heard in France. All of the maids in the chateau had chattered non-stop about the son of Gozaburo Kaiba; of how handsome he was, how intelligent and also of how cold he was reputed to be. And to a certain extent he was. But that extent only reached as far as the media world. Behind that façade was the man who let her keep Kai, who took her to see Christmas lights and followed her into a ladies' restroom when she was crying.

And that was all fine and dandy. She could play the part of significant other, to smile for the flashing cameras and answer trivial questions. She could stand beside him and play the part so well that it scared her a little. But the nights curled up in the living room or nestled close together in bed were roles she didn't have to act out, they came naturally and Kisara found herself convinced it would all go pear-shaped if she had a timer above her head, marching her to that altar.

Turning away from the closed door, Kisara shook her head; he had been one of the world's most eligible men up until a few months ago. She'd seen pictures of some of his exes and the young woman had to begrudgingly admit how flawlessly stunning each woman had been, even Rie. So why would he be willing to put a gold band on her finger instead of one of theirs?

"There's nothing to sort out."

And there she was turning away from the problem again, walking away from the door. At a loss for words, Seto let loose a sigh; frustration wasn't a strong enough word for what he felt. He didn't mind being in the doghouse about the limit, but he had thought this whole saga of denial was over and dealt with. Catching the handle he threw the door open, probably with a bit too much force as it hit the wall with a bang.

"If there's nothing to fix, then the door's open."

More of the silence he hated so much and Seto could feel his temper starting to get the better of him, but she didn't go for the door. Instead, Kisara found herself standing in the middle of her bedroom and trying to gauge how far down the hall she could make it before her conscience made her walk back into the room. Instead, she found herself locking gazes with him and shrugging her shoulders.

"Rie came to the mansion today, shoving the time-limit in my face … and I don't blame her. I don't blame her for wanting you back, or if you'd rather be with her."

"That's bullshi-"

"Seto, there's less than eighteen months left on that time-limit. Be honest; you don't want to marry me."

He wanted to chuckle; the notion of him with Rie instead of Kisara just seemed comical, but he didn't smile or laugh. After months together, he had finally found the root of the problem; the actual wedding. Maybe real-life glitches were the same as the computer versions; all he had to do was find that tiny bit of programming that was written wrong and re-write it. But there was more than one line of programming written wrong in this code; they were both young to be engaged, probably a bit too young and someone else had organised the whole thing. But if they could just delete and bin those two defunct lines of data, then the glitch could be fixed.

Seto ran a hand through his hair; she wanted him to be honest. He could do that. The issue of the time-limit was out the window for now, and he could certainly set her straight on this matter.

"You want honesty, Kisara? You're right, I didn't want to marry that scared girl who turned up on the doorstep those months ago; she couldn't even get through a sentence without blushing or stammering. I still don't want to marry her."

This time he did smirk, only because he was finding out how well he knew her now; Kisara had her back to him and was walking across her room to the window, no doubt convinced he was talking about her. Feeling his smirk grow all the more, Seto stood by the door and spoke again.

"But there's this other girl I met, she's quick-witted and has an evil sense of humour at times. This other girl, she has a giggle the whole mansion can hear, a habit of talking the ear off me during a movie and the most irrational fear of spiders. It's that girl I want to marry and if she sometimes blushes and stammers a little in front of new people, well that's just something I think I'll have to live with."

It took a few seconds, but when she did speak quietly he could tell she was smiling.

"Being scared of spiders isn't irrational …"

"No? It's as irrational as thinking I'd want to be with Rie."

That made her turn away from the window and nod her head, all traces of a smile gone.

"I know, it's just … she showed up and all I could think of was last week, and I panicked and I'm sorry!"

He was getting used to catching his balance by now. Taking a step back to save himself from a fall through the open door, Seto smirked and shook his head. With little all else to do, he wrapped his arms around her waist as she hugged him. Girls were definitely confusing and he had no doubt this one was the most confusing one yet. Letting his smile fade away, the young man spoke seriously.

"I should have told you about that stupid limit when I found it, but it means nothing, Kisara. Whether it's a couple of months down the line or even the full year-and-a-half away, it's you I want to marry. So are we finished with all this?"

Another hug was his answer, one tight enough to be a definite yes. It was only as Kisara unlinked her arms from around his neck that a new target presented itself for his attention as he slipped a hand into the back pocket of his jeans.

"Where'd you find it?"

Looking at the phone in her hands, Kisara let reality slither back into her bedroom; someone had been leaking her text messages to the media and it had to be someone in the mansion.

"It was on the piano when I got back from the city, but it-"

"Wasn't there last night when Toshi rang me. Right, might aswell fix this problem while we're on a roll … and it's not just my house."

"What?"

Any confusion she had been feeling at those words soon disappeared as Seto led the way out of the bedroom. Kisara couldn't keep the wide smile from her face as she let herself be pulled out into the hall. Though her hand was in his, she could feel the unmistakable coldness of a small metal object in her palm. A small metal object in the shape of a key.

* * *

It looked like both Akari and Vivian had met their match by the time he reached the foyer. The short maid was standing by the living room door with a look of contempt on her face, and Vivian was sitting quietly beside Rebecca on the bottom step of the stairs. He left Kisara to join them, thinking it safer for her. Especially as Vivian grabbed her friend's hand and shook her head silently.

"I will ensure you will never work as a maid again!"

Though he only caught the end of the shout, Seto figured it must have been the tipping point for poor Kimiko as the quietest of the maids made to run for the hallway leading to the end room with tears in her eyes. Of all the women, she was the one least likely to cause trouble; Kimiko was harmless at her very worst. Blocking her way, Seto spoke lowly.

"Calm down. You're not in any trouble, Kimiko."

Unfortunately, Rin was too busy threatening the remaining maids to have heard him entering the foyer.

"I will have you all out of here by tonight, with new maids in the morning."

"No you won't, Rin."

Not missing a beat, the portly woman spun on her heel with anger in her eyes. Letting Kimiko walk over to Akari, Seto shook his head. She had every right to be angry, someone was leaking information to the press after all, but there were other ways to get to the bottom of the problem without upsetting every employee in the mansion.

"You don't seem to understand the implications of this, sir."

"Oh, I do. But I don't understand why you're threatening my staff, staff that have worked here for years without us ever having this problem, Rin."

"As I already pointed out to her, Mr. Kaiba."

Yumi looked nothing short of smug as she said her piece from towards the kitchen door, garnering a glare from Rin in answer. But the glare was short-lived as the secretary scanned the foyer for her next target. She had questioned everyone in the security team, all of the maids, even Mokuba's girlfriend and Ms. Ashbrook's friend, but that left one person she hadn't interrogated. A person who hadn't lived in the mansion for years.

Already a step ahead of her as Rin found her victim, Akari swallowed a scoff.

"Don't be delusional, Rin. If there's anyone you should question, it should be that cow Mitsuru, not Ms. Ashbrook."

"It just seems convenient that her mobile phone turns up today _after _all hell breaks loose."

Shrinking beside Vivian, Kisara buried her mobile phone in her hoody pocket as her cheeks burned. The worst part was that it did seem a bit convenient. Absurd, but convenient nonetheless. Whatever small trust she had held for Seto's secretary seemed to dissolve in an instant, possibly replaced by gratitude to Akari for defending her.

Knowing the hazel eyes would be locked onto her, Kisara tried to look defiant as she locked eyes with Rin; looking away would only make her look guilty ... defiant was a bit too hopeful as she wavered under the secretary's heavy stare.

"Quit while your ahead, Rin. I mean it."

She had never heard his voice quite that low before and Kisara found herself slightly on edge. She had seen him tired, annoyed, frustrated and worried, but this was the first time she had seen Seto truly angry. She had thought he was close to it up in her bedroom, but now knew otherwise. Even Kai seemed to sense it as she hid behind Rebecca's feet.

"I'm just saying-"

"Well don't. You're digging a hole, Rin. Did you question Kai? Do you want me to call Mokuba so you can ask him if he's responsible?"

A silent shake of her head was Rin Sado's answer as her employer walked to the front door and opened it.

"I suggest you start damage-control with the publicists, Rin. I'll sort out my own house."

Kisara held the key in her hand tighter as Rin stayed rooted to the foyer floor for a few seconds before stalking to the door. She should have been insulted that the secretary had tried to blame her, but Kisara felt sympathy for Rin as Seto closed the door; the woman was only trying to do her job.

Glancing at his maids, Seto blinked as he fell one-short of the usual ten-count.

"Where's Hana? The end room?"

He didn't blame the new girl if she had broken before Kimiko; Rin was always a lot to handle when she was mad.

"No, sir, she wasn't working today and no one has her number yet."

Aki answered with a shrug; she had tried to exchange phone numbers with the new girl a few days ago in a bid to be more welcoming, but she had been snubbed off.

"Right then. Whatever Rin said to the nine of you, don't even give it a second thought. You all know by now she's not the best-tempered of people."

A small laugh seemed to run around the foyer at that comment, led by a sarcastic snort from Rebecca.

"Anyway, I'm sorry you all had to stay late only to be attacked. We'll call it overtime on double-pay, then again considering Rin's temper maybe triple-pay would be more deserved. Naoki and Takara, don't worry about staying; you two can knock off now. But ladies, don't make me eat my words at the end of this, understand?"

Each woman nodded her head with a serious look. They all understood their employer with utmost clarity; if one of them was the person responsible for the leak, then she would be in the hottest of water. It took only minutes for the maids to say their thanks and vacate the mansion.

Standing from the stairs as Yumi closed the front door behind her, Rebecca flashed a smirk at her boyfriend's older brother.

"Mokuba should be home soon; I kinda warned him about Rin. Anyways, I'm off. You coming, Viv?"

Though she spoke with a wide smile, Rebecca's words had an undertone that Vivian had no trouble picking up on. After all, the headlines were full of the time-limit, so Kaiba would definitely have some explaining to do yet. Vivian smiled and nodded her head.

"Sure thing, just make sure it's the good-looking driver! Talk to tomorrow, chick."

Kisara smiled as Viv tousled her hair and almost skipped across the foyer. Lifting Kai onto her lap, she stayed sitting on the stairs and let her thoughts run; she still didn't know who had leaked her text messages and the time-limit to the press.

"You know, they probably think I haven't told you about the limit yet; I've never seen Rebecca leave so fast …"

Finding herself smiling again, Kisara nodded her head as Seto sat down on the step beside her. That would be the only reason Vivian would leave so quickly too. Holding her phone in one hand and the key to the front door in the other, Kisara couldn't help but laugh lightly as she leaned against Seto.

"What's so funny?"

"I really need to put a password on my text messages, and buy a few key-rings …"

Despite himself, Seto couldn't stop a chuckle from escaping as he draped an arm around her; they still had to figure out who was responsible, but it was a relief to laugh after all the guilt and anger the day had caused. Standing from the stairs, the young man turned with a smirk in place, but stopped short as he caught a glance out the window. Snow had fallen again today, but the night was forecasted to be calm and well below zero.

None of that was what made him do a double-take though. For a split-second, Seto could have sworn he had seen someone out on the barren lawn. Someone that immediately gave him a feeling of déjà vu. But there was no one out on the snow-covered lawn now, nothing but his own reflection staring back at him from the darkened window.

"Seto, what's wrong?"

The second her hand slid into his the déjà vu was gone. Shaking his head with a smile, the young man turned away from the window, instead finding it much more inviting to sweep a few strands of white behind her ear.

"I'm just tired, that's all."

A light touch of his lips against hers had Kisara smiling again, something she hadn't done a whole lot of today. It had been a long day, with a visit to the pet store, then the graveyard and now all the drama in the mansion. She had no doubt her eyelids would start to feel heavy soon too.

"Come on, I'm sure you have a few more movies to talk through."

Letting herself be steered towards the living room, Kisara pouted and folded her arms across her chest.

"I do not talk through all of them!"

"No, you sleep through some too."

Shaking her head as another kiss landed on her cheek, Kisara found she couldn't argue with that; she had talked and slept through quite a number of movies to-date. But she was too busy scanning the living room for the remote control to notice Seto was glancing back out the same window in the foyer as he stood by the doorway.

* * *

**A/n - Thanks for waiting guys and I really hope you liked it! XxxxxxxxX**

**Note:** Due a not-so-friendly-worded review I received on this story, I'd just like to re-iterate something in case anyone is wondering. The reason I use the dub names is simply because I grew up watching the dub with those characters. And even though I watched the dub I was still aware it was set in Japan, which is why I base Paper Roses in Japan. Thanks for reading guys! XxxX


	33. Gift

**Author's Note:** Hi everyone ... I am so, so, so sorry for the wait. I really have no other excuse other than a short family holiday and stubborn bout of writer's block. I mean, I sat down umpteen times to write, but the furthest I got was maybe a sentence. Again, I am so sorry for the wait and I hope you all like this chapter! Also, expect a few chops and changes in this chapter yet with typos and other stuffs! Thanks everyone! XxxxxxxX

* * *

"_But_ _maybe fate is a story behind us,_"

* * *

Seto knew things were bad when even he deemed the mansion hectic. They'd had their busy days over the last few months, what with the earthquake and then the new tournament, but today definitely topped the list.

His publicity team had left about an hour ago after plaguing him with notions of a press conference to dispel all the rumours flying about. He had almost agreed to the public address; it seemed a good way to confront the gossip of the time-limit. Two days, that was how long the city had been rife with talk of himself and Kisara and Seto had to admit he was sick of it by now. He didn't mind KaibaCorp being on everybody's tongue, but if there was one thing the young man hated it was his personal life being in the limelight.

That was the reason he had nearly jumped the gun and consented to the conference. But then one of the publicists had mentioned Kisara would also have to speak, or at least show up by his side to quash the rumours for good. That had been the end of the idea.

He could clearly see how much confidence she had gained since Schroeder's function those few months ago, but Seto knew there was a difference between appearing on a red carpet amongst other guests and standing in front of a horde of journalists focused solely on your words and nothing else. He'd conducted enough press announcements to not even think twice about them anymore and that was fine for him, but Kisara had never had that kind of focused scrutiny on her before, to stand at a podium and be cross-examined by the media.

And he was damned if he'd make her do it to appease the proverbial grapevine.

Abandoning the email he'd been reading, Seto glanced down at the time display on his toolbar and cursed under his breath. Work had run off with his whole day again as four o'clock inched its way closer and closer. It was no wonder his stomach was starting to cave in on itself; he'd been kept between his study and the meeting rooms since morning. Pushing the laptop further away he stood at the same time and headed for the door; Rin had emailed to say he was free of meetings for an hour or so.

Email seemed to be her preferred choice of communication over the last couple of days, a habit he was quite familiar with. She was keeping her distance until his temper and her own cooled down. He would get an apology eventually, but Seto knew she'd make him wait and wait for it. There was only a small handful of occasions when he and Rin clashed like that and it had been years since their last collision. Mokuba had been about eleven at the time and she had recommended hiring a nanny to deal with the youngster. She had been introduced to his temper on that day.

Walking out into the hall, Seto didn't bother to close the door behind him; none of his staff would enter the study without due cause, something he was sure of. An onlooker would say he was being an awful optimist, especially after the time-limit was leaked, but Seto smirked to himself as he made for the kitchen. He knew exactly who had rifled through his desk drawers and found his step-father's will thanks to Akari and Kimiko squabbling outside meeting room 2 this morning.

"_Tell him_!"

"_No, what if I'm wrong? I'll get her in trouble for nothing _…"

"_Kimiko, tell him or I will_!"

"_But- oww! Quit pinching, I'll tell him_!"

It was only when he'd opened the door and raised an eyebrow that Kimiko had blurted out her news, Akari's hand poised to pinch her friend again if she faltered. The quieter maid had tried to shrug off her words, offering excuses as to why the other girl had been in his study last week, but he'd heard enough. A call to Roland had confirmed any suspicions. Still, he couldn't help but wonder why Hana had sold the information; she was paid a good wage and knew she'd be sacked for talking to the press.

That was the main reason he had been in his study most of the day; trying to get to the bottom of this mess. Roland had pulled the girl's bank records and found a large sum of money had been deposited just before the time-limit had become public knowledge. The game-plan had been to trace the money back to whatever newspaper or television network it had come from. The only problem being that it traced back to a dead-end. A dead-end his security team were currently working on to overcome.

Either way it meant that Hana had bought herself an express-ticket out of the mansion and the maid agency, something he doubted she cared about. The amount of money in her bank account would keep her afloat for a long time, something else that had him on edge. He'd dealt with newspapers before and the young man knew how they operated; the money offered for information was only offered when the company was sure they could make it back. The money in Hana's account was above and beyond a feasible amount. Either the media world was desperate for a story or someone else had given her the money for other reasons.

Shaking his head, Seto slowed his walking as he crossed the foyer. Maybe he was just thinking too far into this. Maid snooped about in his study, maid sold information to whoever, information caused a huge headache … maid gets fired. There, simplicity at its best.

He had emailed Rin and told her to fire the maid and contact the agency about a replacement. At least firing Hana would pander to Rin's temper a bit, but they still had to figure out who was taking over as housekeeper in Kaoru's place. An excited bark put an end to his brooding, something Seto was glad of as he could already feel a headache approaching.

"Hey runt …"

Kai stayed sitting in her basket until he tapped a hand against his thigh, something Seto found unusual; when had she started doing that? The husky's new-found patience was abandoned as the excited dog raced across the foyer, running circles around her owner's feet. It was only as she crouched low and pounced for his shoe that Seto did a double-take; when was the last time he had paid the pup any attention? That had been the whole reason they hadn't had a pet in the past … the young man kicked himself as he let Kai jump up and patted her head. He felt guilty for neglecting the dog; all she wanted was a little attention now and again.

"C'mon Kai."

Clicking his tongue, Seto smirked as he walked forward and the fluff-ball stayed at his heel, her tail lashing from side to side as she kept pace. Another glance down at the pup showed off the new collar around her neck. The dark blue leather gleamed under the foyer's chandelier, unlike the scuffed brown collar Kai usually wore. Seto's view of the new collar was cut short as he pushed open the kitchen door and Kai raced forward, barking happily.

The young man had to smile as he let the door swing shut behind him. Kai was doing her best to cause as much noise as possible, running around the kitchen table and barking again and again. But the puppy's antics failed to grab one person's attention. Sitting on the table, she was far too focused on the television to notice anything else.

For the past two days the mansion had been filled with a messy amalgamation of his security team, some publicists, one or two interns and a flitting visit from a still-seething Rin. In between all that, he'd seen very little of the world outside his study and the meeting rooms, only emerging to grab a few hours of sleep; even eating had been out of the question most of the time. It was those cracks in his attention, between work and rest, that Kisara had slipped into for two days and nights. Two days and nights too long.

The last time KaibaCorp had been so busy was a couple of years ago when Dartz's Paradius had taken over the company along with Industrial Illusions. He'd been seeing one of his new interns at the time; one of the do-gooders who had thought her only job in KaibaCorp was to expose his caring side. She had lasted about a fortnight. The hostile takeover had received his full attention back then, and the girl had been left by the wayside. It was something Seto was accustomed to doing; KaibaCorp always won the battle for his attention. Or at least it had in the past.

As the duel she'd been watching drew to an end, Kisara looked away from the television and noticed she wasn't alone in the kitchen.

"So you finally got a break, huh?"

That elicited another small smile as he walked closer. A break? He supposed it was that. The girl from over three years ago, the intern, had complained about being ignored and demanded more of his time. Kisara just smiled happily and enquired about his work. Two days, and she hadn't voiced one grievance. Instead, Kisara had kept to herself and out of the staff's hectic way. Vivian had called by yesterday, along with Téa Gardner and Rebecca, but that had been the extent of her contact with the outside world since the time-limit had been leaked.

"Yeah, before a few more officials show up in an hour."

"I guess there's a downside to being the boss."

He nodded with a small chuckle as she pouted; the amount of hours he clocked up in work hadn't been a downside up until a couple of months ago. Any other company owner would hire a CEO to do the leg-work, but Seto knew the way he wanted his company run and didn't need any middle man screwing things up.

"At least I get to work from home, that's got to be an upside …"

Kisara felt a smile growing as she linked her arms around Seto's neck and giggled into the light kiss, leaning forward for another as he brushed her side-fringe behind her ear. She had definitely pined for these brief encounters over the past few days as he dealt with whatever KaibaCorp delivered on the front step, but she knew it was par for the course; complaining would only make her sound like a whiney brat, and maybe seeing so little of him was something she would have to get used to in the future anyway. He _was _the owner of the world's largest gaming company after all, and had been so long before she turned up.

He saw her smile fade just a little before she switched her attention to the cords of his hoody and started fidgeting with the strings. Her hand seemed tiny as he placed his own over it.

"We figured out who's been leaking to the press, so once all this is cleaned up then I promise we'll-"

"No, it's fine. You've got work to do … I get it."

And Kisara meant her words as she smiled up at him, still playing with the cords of his hoody. Seto took a breath to say something, but was cut off by a raspy chuckle; another duel was being shown on the television. Looking over his shoulder at the television, Seto groaned as he recognised the duelist on-screen. Short of stature, scrawny, wearing the same bright green jacket and yellow glasses, and just as utterly annoying as always.

"Ugh, he's trying to get into the tournament …"

Watching the duel unfold, Kisara nodded her head; she had seen the boy around Domino a few times, and Téa had told her about him and his partner in crime.

"Um … Weave something-or-other …"

"Weevil Underwood. Second-rate duelist who'll probably try to cheat his way into the tournament with Raptor."

A bark from Kai put an end to Weevil's fifteen seconds of fame, and none too soon as his Insect Queen was taken out by a dragon of some sort. Watching as the huge spider-creature dissipated, Kisara noticed how much clearer the holograms seemed compared to the ones in the skies above KaibaLand.

Weevil Underwood's pathetic loss had surrendered his interest by now, and Seto found a smirk growing as he glanced back down at Kisara; her attention was fastened on the next duel starting up. Duel Monsters fever was starting to encroach on Domino once again as the professional tier of his tournament loomed closer; only four days remained to fill the last two available places. Only four more days to get everything on-track and sorted before the major duels began in KaibaLand. Almost two weeks had passed since the launch of the tournament and he had still to watch a single duel from start to finish. Glancing at Kisara again, he made a decision.

"Let's get out of here."

Letting herself be pulled from the table, Kisara shook her head as Kai raced for the door.

"What about the meeting with the officials?"

"That's another upside to being the boss; I can just set Rin on them."

His smug smile only served in making her giggle; she pitied any person Rin Sado was allowed to have reign over.

* * *

She had spent hours upon hours making sure the paperwork was correctly filled in, to organise the adequate transport and to make sure one of her brothers would accompany the tablet all the way back home. But, as someone once said, even the best laid plans ran aground. The transport had fallen through at the last minute and the Tablet of Lost Memories was stranded in the storage of Domino's museum.

Ishizu sighed and walked another lap around the newest attraction in her Egyptian exhibit. The museum's owner was quite understanding and had offered her all the storage necessary for however long she required it. The young woman had to admit she was secretly relieved the transport company had let her down. The political situation at home in Egypt wasn't exactly at its pinnacle. She had even heard whispers of the President possibly stepping down. But that wasn't what bothered the curator so much; amidst all the chaos and rioting on the streets of Cairo a few objects had been stolen from the city's museum.

Most of the artefacts had been recovered by now, but she felt too protective of the Tablet to send it home yet. Maybe it would be better to wait and see if the protests died down before anything else was moved across the continents. Walking just one more lap around her new centrepiece, Ishizu smiled happily; at least she had gotten the Tablet's replacement to Japan before Egypt's political system fell into ruins.

White marble with sapphires and aquamarines for detailing. Gold leaf accentuated the bangles and bracelets the girl had never owned in her peasant's life. Master craftsmen had carved the title of Great Royal Wife beside her name, a styling that had also eluded her short lifespan.

Placing her hand on the glass case that surrounded the sarcophagus, Ishizu Ishtar felt slight disappointment that all those intricacies would be hidden from the eyes of the public; no finely carved face, no gemstones and no golden leaf. Not even the girl's name would be translated; to the people of Domino it would be a mysterious coffin belonging to a nobody.

Taking a step backwards away from the glass case, the young woman let a wry smile surface. To her trained eyes, she could clearly make out the young Queen's name and the age at which the poor girl had died. Eying the hieroglyphs, Ishizu couldn't stop her thoughts wandering along to a young European of the same age and appearance.

She hadn't met Kisara Ashbrook again since the day she and Téa had walked into her exhibit. She had seen the girl on television and had read about the time-limit shock of two days ago. It seemed the heiress' face was everywhere these days; she was appearing on every newspaper and fashion magazine in the city and Ishizu didn't have to wonder why. Seto Kaiba was a person the citizens of Domino were proud to call their own; he was a kid who had come from nothing and made himself into one of the world's most powerful young men. And powerful men usually had a woman standing beside them. KaibaCorp's owner had always been the exception to that; the young man had had plenty of women linked to him over the past couple of years, but nothing serious had ever surfaced. Not until the arranged marriage had been announced.

Even she had to admit to being sceptical about such a thing. When younger, Ishizu had lived a guarded life beneath the desert and kept to herself. Over time she had heard of arranged marriages taking place in various middle-east countries and she had never blinked an eye at the happenings. But this was the Western world, and she had seriously doubted the outcome of Kaiba's marriage. And then she had seen the French girl on television.

The Millennium Necklace had shown her a lot in the time she had owned it, from the duel outcomes in Battle City to the majority of Isis' memories. But none of those things had prepared her for fate's newest ace card. In the memories of Isis, she had seen Shimon, Karim, Seth and Atem. The priestess had known the people and conversed with them from day to day, she had even held Karim as he died. Ishizu had dealt with each obstacle as it approached her, from accepting her past to helping Odion realise his own.

But nothing had shocked her more than the reincarnation of the peasant girl. By right she shouldn't even exist. Kisara of the past had chosen to protect Seth; she had sacrificed herself to protect her lover. Her choice had been to live on as the Legendary White Dragon. Isis' memories had shown her just how many times Pharaoh Seth had called on the tablet to defend his kingdom from would-be usurpers. Once the priestess had even found him alone in the courtyard staring up at the majestic creature. She knew he had never really gotten over the girl's death.

Blinking out of her past life, Ishizu ran her hand along the glass case and frowned. Kisara had decided to live on through her spirit monster. Shimon hadn't, neither had Karim, Atem or Seth and they had been reincarnated in this life, just as she had. The same souls, just recycled into modern times with a clean slate.

But Kisara's soul should have remained in the White Dragon's stone tablet, where Aknadin had locked it. True, the means of summoning the ancient monsters had long been lost in time, but the principle remained the same. Mahad had joined with his ka to create the Dark Magician, and he had not been reincarnated, at least not to her knowledge. Kisara Ashbrook's soul shouldn't have been able to escape the stone tablet, and yet it had done so over twenty years ago, something that utterly stumped the Tombkeeper. She understood that a couple of loopholes still existed, such as Yugi being born whilst Atem's spirit was locked in the Millennium Puzzle, but that had been down to the workings of the Puzzle. All of the Millennium Items were currently buried under tons of rubble, ruling out any chance of Kisara's soul coming into contact with one.

Each lead she had followed up had led to a dead-end thus far, but Ishizu wasn't a woman to give up on something. So frustrated at the anomaly, she had even called on one of her uncles back in Egypt to find an answer, but to no avail so far.

Reading the cartouche on the sarcophagus one last time, Ishizu shrugged. She should be uneasy about the reincarnation, but the young woman was honestly happy for Kaiba and Kisara. They had found each other again and she couldn't help but hope things would follow a different path in this life.

* * *

It was a hologram, an image created by a computer. She knew that, but still started backwards as the dragon was blasted into tiny little fragments, disappearing into the air as its owner's life-points took a nasty hit. The monster responsible, a warrior of some kind, turned and stalked back to the opposite side of the field.

She had thought the holograms on television had been impressive, but Kisara knew how wrong she had been. Even the duel monsters in the garden at KaibaLand hadn't been as realistic as the ones before her now. She could see the warrior's muscles moving, hear his hulking form breathe in and out, even smell the monster's odour as it inspected its sword. In the blink of an eye, the warrior's owner had decided to end his turn. Almost like a tennis match, Kisara turned her head to observe his opponent's next move.

He was a unique-looking duelist to say in the least; a dark green jacket clashed with the boy's red beanie hat and his two-toned brown and purple hair. The bug-duelist from the television was standing in the crowd, cheering him on. Too occupied with scanning the surrounding people, Kisara missed the summoning of the newest monster, instead hearing its roar first, something that managed to gain Kai's attention as she pulled at her leash.

She might have missed the two-headed purple thing being called onto the field, but Kisara kept her attention on the duel as the red beanie guy gave a chuckle before revealing a face-down card. For some reason that eluded her, the warrior monster simply disappeared and left his owner's life-points wide open for a hit. And that hit eradicated any chance of the duelist entering the professional tier of the tournament.

"The winner is Rex, so hand over the tokens and good duel, gentlemen."

It was only then that she noticed Mokuba standing by one of the hologram sealers, a commissioner ID card hanging around his neck as he smirked and pointed to the boy with the red beanie. Two tokens were handed over and the crowd that had been watching the duel started to disperse in search of another match-up on the streets. But the last move of the duel was still confounding Kisara as Kai pulled her forward a few steps.

"I don't understand …"

"Hmm?"

Seto blinked out of a reverie as Mokuba half-waved and Kai strained at her leash more and more. Raptor might have won, but only by a fluke. That other duelist should have had a few more tricks in his arsenal, things to fall back on such as magic or trap cards, even a special effect monster. At least that's what he would have done in a duel.

"Why was the other monster destroyed?"

A smirk pulled at his lips and Seto reached to the holder on his belt. A duelist could be spotted easily at any time in Domino; they all wore a deck-holder of some sort. Mai Valentine chose to bare it on her thigh, a few more chose their arms, but most duelists simply sported them on a belt. Pulling the cards from the holder, Seto's smirk turned wry; old habits seemed to die hard. He hadn't been in a duel for years now but still brought his deck almost everywhere. The excuse of being ready for any challenger seemed a moot point; it was common knowledge that he didn't dabble in the game anymore.

Stopping short of a trip down a memory-filled lane, the young man searched through his deck for a few seconds. Kisara watched as Seto pulled one of those greenish cards from his deck and handed it to her. Green meant magic card if she remembered correctly.

"It's called Lightning Vortex. Rex had it face-down on the field, all he had to do was discard one card from his hand to destroy his opponent's monster, leaving the other guy's life-points wide open for his Two-Headed King Rex."

"Oh …"

Studying the card in question, Kisara let it all click into place; the beanie guy must have activated the magic card during the last turn. Tracing a finger over the illustration of three lighting bolts, she figured she still had quite a lot to learn about Duel Monsters. She had her own deck alright, but possessed only a vague knowledge of how to use the cards Mokuba had helped her choose. She should really practise before the tournament started in earnest or the fast-paced duels would leave her awfully confused.

"So, where to next?"

Glancing up from the magic card, Kisara shrugged her shoulders; the duel was over and she didn't want him to waste any more time in the city if work still needed to be taken care of.

"Those officials must be annoyed by now, Seto."

"I'm sure they'll get over it eventually …"

She giggled as arms wrapped around her waist and a playful kiss landed on her cheek. A few people decided to have a stare as they walked by but that was commonplace by now. It was Kai jerking at her leash that made Kisara look up and see Mokuba approaching. The teenager stopped for a second to give Kai's ears a ruffle before flashing his usual smile and looking to his brother.

"Gotta run to Bec's, something about this whole formal thing for school. Grabbed these off a guy trying to slip cards into his hand an hour ago and thought I'd give them to you before I lose them … again."

She watched as he handed over four of the tokens needed to enter the tournament, all different shapes. The smirk on Seto's face told her a story lay behind Mokuba's words. That said, he did seem to have a penchant for losing things recently; his phone went walk-abouts at least a couple of times a week, not to mention his shoes and uniform, and his keys for the mansion.

"See you guys later!"

And with another wide smile, the teen was already heading off in another direction. Smiling, Kisara pitied Mokuba if Rebecca was in a bad mood. The youngster had called to the mansion yesterday, along with Téa and Viv. For a girl so used to the red carpet and smiling for cameras, Rebecca was almost freaking out about the formal her school was holding. The prom-style dance was being held at the end of the week to raise money for a local charity, and the blonde was unusually worried about the event.

"Smile, it might never happen …"

Feeling a tug on the end of her hair, Kisara immediately blinked back to the present and felt a smile growing; she'd heard those words somewhere before. She'd heard them months ago at Zigfried's company launch; the night he had called her beautiful for the first time. Another memory that surfaced was her crying session in the woods. All that doubt and hesitation seemed a far-cry now as she playfully stuck out her tongue and nestled closer to Seto.

They passed a few more duels as they walked through the city; one or two looked like serious business, but the majority were amateurs trying their luck. Kai seemed happy to be out of the mansion, straining at her leash and inspecting every new thing in her path. Walking towards one of Domino's many parks, Kisara let a sparkle catch her eye. In the window of a jewellery shop sat a pretty bracelet that seemed to catch the light and juggle it about from gem to gem. Tearing her eyes from the window, Kisara smiled to herself; she was a jewellery-junkie if truth be told. It wasn't that she bought necklaces and bracelets galore, but the young woman did love to window-shop the trinkets given half a chance. Vivian had once called her a magpie due to her habit of being drawn to shiny objects so easily.

"Isn't that Vivian?"

Caught off-guard as Seto's words clashed with her thoughts, Kisara looked ahead through the falling snow. Sitting on a swing with her phone in her hands was her best friend.

"Umm, yeah. I'll be back in a minute …"

Not sure whether Seto had stayed put or was walking behind her, Kisara made her way down the street to the park. Vivian was no great lover of nature, preferring to keep her Louboutins far away from anything that could dirty them. It was unusual enough to see her in a park, let alone so dressed-down. Kisara might have been the jewellery-junkie, but Vivian usually matched her addiction fashion-wise. The jeans, trainers and heavy cardigan seemed so out of place.

"Viv, what's wrong?"

Sitting on the swing beside her, Kisara knew what answer she would receive.

"Me? Nothing chick, just out for a walk."

In an instant, a happy smile beamed at her. If she hadn't known better, then Kisara would have been fooled by the act, but she was no idiot.

"Don't play dumb, you hate walks, so what's the deal?"

Vivian tried to look confused at the allegation, but gave up half-way through a smile and shrugged her shoulders. Turning her phone over in her hand, the young woman forced a small laugh.

"I just got dumped via text message, how's that for an excuse?"

"Dumped? But …"

She didn't know which one shocked her more; the fact that Vivian had had a long-term boyfriend, or that the loser had dumped her friend. Sure, Viv had had her share of men over the years, but she was a romantic at heart.

"Apparently I'm, and I quote, too fast-paced for him."

Seeing a sparkle threaten the other girl's eyes, Kisara reached over and gave her friend a tight hug, hindered somewhat by the chains of their swings.

"Oh, why didn't you tell me, Viv?"

"You have enough on your plate right now. Besides, I'm only upset he beat me to the punch; I was gonna dump his ass anyways."

The sparkle was gone and Vivian's usual smile was back in place as she started swinging back and forth. Smiling, Kisara shook her head. If there was one definitive difference between them it was the way they dealt with guys; Viv simply cut her losses and moved onto the next target, whereas Kisara knew she'd think it over too much and start blaming herself.

"Wait until he sees you cleaning up in the tournament, he's gonna be kicking himself …"

That elicited a laugh from Vivian as she started turning in circles, winding the swing's chains together. Only when she had the chains tangled enough did the woman move her attention onto Kai, lavishing attention onto the puppy as she spoke.

"So, how're things in Kaiba-camp these days?"

Shrugging, Kisara walked back a few steps and started swinging to and fro.

"I think the leak has been plugged, and Seto decided to ignore a meeting to bring me into the city."

"My, my … is he feeling okay?"

Kisara smiled at her friend's feigned shock and stuck her tongue out instead. Though Vivian still liked to get her say in every now and again, she had decided to give Seto a break from her watchful ways.

Sweeping her hair behind her ears, Vivian saw a certain someone walking towards the park and hid a coy smile. Letting her swing un-wind, the young woman fought her dizziness and stood.

"Well, I best head home; only four more days left to squeeze in some practice!"

"I'll walk with you-"

Kisara made to stand from her own swing, but was stopped halfway.

"Nu-uh, my apartment's only around the corner chick, and I'd hate to separate such loved-up kiddies!"

"Yeah, well at least call me tomorrow and tell me about the jerk?"

"Don't I always tell you about my jerks?"

And with that laughed question, Vivian was walking towards the edge of the park with a large smile on her face. She slowed once as she passed Seto, if only to throw him an amused look.

Ruffling Kai's ears, Kisara let a small smile grow; she admired Viv for how fast she could get over a guy. All she needed was a little retail-therapy and she was back to normal. Given the choice between a man and a pair of shoes, Kisara knew her friend wouldn't be walking barefoot.

"Everything okay?"

Looking up at her fiancé, she nodded her head and brushed a few snowflakes off of her jeans.

"Girl troubles, that's all. Where did you disappear to?"

"Man troubles …"

The fast answer made Kisara smile all the more; Seto had his own quick-witted side when it suited him. Clipping Kai off her leash, the young woman watched the husky dash for the nearest bank of snow. Bundling the leash into her jacket pocket, she felt guilt nagging at the back of her mind.

"Won't you be in trouble with work for missing that meeting?"

She smiled as he sighed and shook his head.

"What's it going to take to stop you worrying about that meeting?"

Shrugging her shoulders as an answer, Kisara kicked at the snow beneath her feet.

"I think I know what'll stop you …"

The young woman laughed lightly as Seto caught the chains of her swing and pulled her closer to him. Two days of barely seeing each other seemed to add fuel to the kiss as he stood even closer. Leaning forward, Kisara returned the kiss just as eagerly. Smiling as she pulled away, the young woman shook her head.

"See, now I'm just more worried."

"Oh really? I'll have to fix that then …"

Giggling as he leaned forward, Kisara tried to drag the swing backwards to no avail and settled for another kiss, lighter this time.

"Stop worrying yet?"

Shaking her head, she laughed openly as Seto rolled his eyes and forced a sigh.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Kaiba, but it'll take a lot more than a kiss to stop a worrywart like me."

"Is that so … how about this?"

Kisara blinked as he placed something around her right wrist. Something she had been eying up only a short while ago. The silver bracelet looked even more stunning close-up with light blue jewels and fanciful engravings. She had thought her jewellery-spotting was inconspicuous, but now guilt was starting to seep in again; Téa had told her that jewellery store was one of the most expensive in the city.

"Seto, I can't … I mean the cost, it's-"

"A gift, something small to apologise."

Managing to tear her eyes away from the bracelet, Kisara frowned.

"Apologise for what?"

She watched as he looked away for a second before smirking and locking eyes with her.

"For all the shit that happened; Rie upsetting you, the time-limit, Rin and her temper and for being too busy for the past couple of days."

Unable to stop her attention returning to the bracelet, Kisara shook her head with a small smile as she returned his light kiss.

"Seto, I love it but you don't need to apologise …"

Letting herself be pulled from the swing, the young woman giggled as he brushed a few snowflakes from her hair. Kai barked and ran up to them in an excited flurry, but scampered off again as something new caught her attention. In contrast, Kisara kept her attention riveted to Seto as he ran a hand through his hair; experience told her he only did that when he was confused about something or tired.

"Seto?"

He let loose another sigh and smirked as he racked his brain for the right words to use. He wanted to tell her what he felt, that none of the things he had mentioned mattered in the long-run, but he wanted to steer clear of a certain four-lettered word.

"What I said a few days ago, about the time-limit and marrying you, I meant it, Kisara."

Smiling lightly, Kisara nodded her head as she felt his fingers brush over her engagement ring. She should have been on cloud nine after hearing those words, and yet the young woman found herself forcing the smile as she squashed the new worry blooming in her chest; why all this now? Pushing the thoughts aside, she strained to her tip-toes and kissed the man most girls wanted, feeling butterflies in her stomach as he rested a hand on her hip.

"I know you meant what you said … now come on before we freeze! Kai, come!"

Smirking, Seto pulled the leash from her pocket and grabbed Kai just as she made to dart away into another snow bank. Walking out of the park, the company owner threw one last glance over his shoulder as Kisara inspected her bracelet for what felt like the twentieth time. He knew he was a hypocrite for telling her to stop worrying, but what she didn't know couldn't hurt her.

That night in the foyer, when he'd seen a person out on the lawn, Seto had marked it down to being tired. But that didn't explain why he kept catching glimpses of the guy out of the corner of his eye, or why the person seemed familiar to him.

* * *

**A/n - Again, I am so sorry for the wait guys and I promise the next update will be much quicker! Also, thanks a million for all the lovely reviews and PMs on the last chapter; it really means a lot! XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**


	34. Rescue

**Author's Note: **Hi everyone! I am so, so sorry for a break of almost three months! I have feasible excuses though, I swear! I've decided to take a year out from univeristy, so I'll have a lot more writing time aside from wor this year. Also, I had really bad writer's block on this chapter and it was my birthday on the 15th of this month, so I just got sidetracked. Anyways, this chapter ended up a lot longer than I planned so kudos to Renolvr on that one, who made me write and continues to be my torture-victim of a beta-reader. Thanks a million for waitin so patiently guys! XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

* * *

"_Turns our precious night into the darkest day_"

* * *

She usually occupied herself with his silver chain in the mornings, but Kisara couldn't stop eying her new bracelet. Working the silver trinket around her wrist again, she watched as the little jewels caught what little light there was and twinkled for a second or two. They would have sparkled for longer had it not been for the hand that traced over the bracelet before lowering to rest on her hip.

"I take it you like it?"

Smiling, Kisara nodded her head and swiped her fringe behind her ear, a few rebellious strands refusing to stay put. Fighting a yawn, she smiled as Seto's hand drew lazy circles on her hip, his dark blue eyes blinking in the cold morning gloom. Though she didn't bother to glance out the window, Kisara guessed snow would be falling outside once again; if there was one thing that made the cold mornings more enticing, it was the warmth of his skin against hers. She let her thoughts wander as the strange sense of possessiveness returned, and for just a second the young woman let herself imagine there was just them and the bedroom; no KaibaCorp officials waiting for their postponed meeting and no hordes of dueling enthusiasts demanding their new tournament.

She blinked as his hand swept the elusive strands back behind her ear and settled lightly on her neck. Letting herself be pulled closer, Kisara shook her head and dodged a kiss, instead hiding her face in the crook of his neck.

"Don't, I have morning breath!"

She could feel the chuckle lifting his chest as Seto let his hand wander down to her hip again and back up.

"I don't care …"

"Well I do!"

Her giggled answer was wasted as the same hand trailed to her waist and further down to her thigh. As his lips moved to her neck and upped the ante, Kisara let her fear of morning breath fizzle away. Tilting her head to the right, she gave Seto more access to her skin and felt her heart skip a beat as his tongue brushed over her collarbone. The house was probably awake by now with the maids flitting about, but all she could hear was her own rapid breath mixed with the rustling of sheets as she found herself staring up at Seto and linking her arms around his neck, competing in a hungry kiss.

It was as the kiss grew deeper that the usual interruption jumped into the fray, only to be neglected as the temperature in the room climbed. Smiling as Seto continued to ignore his buzzing phone, Kisara shook her head and evaded a kiss. As much as she wanted to imagine the outside world didn't exist, she wasn't delusional either.

"You should answer it …"

She smiled as he sighed and rolled his eyes before claiming the elusive kiss and turning towards the nightstand on his side of the bed. Sitting up, the young woman half-heartedly scanned the floor for any sign of her clothes. One of these days she would actually have the foresight to fold the garments neatly instead of abandoning them somewhere on the carpet. Giving up on the attire roll-call, Kisara leaned back against the headboard and listened to Seto's end of the conversation; a series of yes-no answers that constituted a work-related call.

Three days to go until the tournament began and Domino had officially entered count-down mode. All six of the amateur places had been filled and KaibaLand staff were completing the final touches before the influx of dueling-enthusiasts descended on the theme park. She was sort of sorry to have missed the Battle City and Grand Prix tournaments; the city seemed to come into its own when Duel Monsters surfaced.

"Yes … I'll be in when I'm in, Rin."

Glancing up as Seto ended the call, Kisara smiled as he rolled his eyes again before turning his mobile phone sideways and tapping away at the screen. She had asked about the new touch screen device last night, curious as to what happened the black flip-phone that had matched Mokuba's. The answer had been a simple one; something about his temper and a screw-up with the newest Solid Vision programme.

"Everything okay?"

Kisara asked the question as she nestled beside him and pulled the duvet up further, defending against the winter temperature. Seto was still tapping away at the phone, sliding his fingers across the screen every now and again. Eying the KC on the black gadget, she hid a small smile. When questioning about the new phone last night, she had made the mistake of enquiring if it was an iPhone, only to be met with an insulted glare. Apparently Apple and KaibaCorp weren't the best of buddies in the technological world …

"Nothing that can't be sorted out, just one of the duelists trying to pull out at the last minute."

"Oh, how come?"

"Something about having a rodeo to attend in America."

She couldn't help but giggle as Seto made a rather childish face down at his phone. She could nearly guess which duelist it was; a guy named Shane Jordan who dressed like a cowboy. She'd seen a few pictures of him when the KC Grand Prix had been taking place, and Vivian had since told her of his good looks.

"So what're you gonna do?"

"Blackmail him … or bribe. I haven't quite decided yet."

Seto smirked to himself as he received a light elbow to the ribs for his answer. The mood he was in right now, he was liable to choose blackmail. Three days to go and this joker tried to pull out, and if he did so, how were they supposed to plug the free space? There were no other professional duelists available and it could take longer than three days for amateurs to fight it out for the slot. The young man pushed the problem to the back of his mind; he had plenty of staff to worry about the problem instead of him. Besides, Rin had just informed him of a whole other problem.

Finally finding the article he was looking for, Seto handed his phone over to Kisara.

"You're in the headlines again."

If it had been any number of weeks ago, she would have grappled for the phone and strived to see what could have landed her name in the public's eye. But Kisara had become so used to reading her own name that her interest was barely piqued as she took the mobile. Her disinterest was short-lived though, replaced by disbelief. She didn't mind people writing about her, whether that be her fashion choices or just made-up yarns; she had learned to leave it in one ear and out the other. But the media world had never gained hold of her private life, not until now at least.

Plastered across the small screen was an article detailing about her piano-playing and linking the talent to her mother. Scanning through the text, Kisara could feel her disbelief waning and a billow of anger taking its place. The piece of writing wasn't even supposed to be about her; a picture of Rie Mitsuru glared up from the screen, spewing all kinds of details about her ex boyfriend's fiancée. Everything was in that article, from her favourite book to what she had studied in university.

All along it hadn't mattered what was written about her, but this was far different. Reading through her own personal likes and dislikes made Kisara's stomach drag lower by the second. In the months she had been living in Japan, the young woman had been secretly proud of how her private life had been kept out of the papers, be it by her own timid hands or the talent of Seto's publicity team. Sure, the journalists had written volumes about her, but very little of the printed product had been true. Glaring at Rie's smug face, Kisara felt her anger directed at only one person.

Her silence must have said a lot, with Seto being the one to break the quiet as he slid an arm around her and planted a light kiss on her cheek, hiding his own anger; he had given Rie her one warning at the tournament launch.

"I'll get Rin on it and get her after Rie."

He was more than a little surprised when Kisara shook her head and sighed with a small frown.

"No, it's not her I blame. Zigfried's the only one who knows all this stuff …"

"Schroeder? How would he know all this?"

Seto gestured at his phone in her hands, at all the little bits of information that made up her personality, some that he hadn't even been aware of. The thought that Schroeder had know her favourite colour before him ignited a jealous fire in his stomach.

"We used to be good friends when we were children. His family would visit our chateau and we would visit their castle in the woods … why the face?"

Kisara felt her anger duly fizzle away as she asked the question; she had seen the look on his face turn from anger to something else, something she hadn't seen at all in her months living with him. That said, she had an inkling as to what the look meant.

"What face?"

It was gone in an instant, with Seto shrugging his shoulders as he took back his phone. Smiling all the more, Kisara let a few giggles surface as she shook her head. They had been childhood friends once upon a time, herself and Zigfried, but then his father had taken ill and she had been sent off to her first boarding school. The internet had kept them connected a little longer, but adolescence had been too big a gap to cross.

It was common knowledge that Seto didn't like Zigfried and that the feeling was quite mutual between the two, but this was a whole other facet to the feud.

"The disgusted-looking one; the one that looked just a little green-eyed …"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

She had to give him props for ignoring her poking so well and keeping a serious face as he focused on his phone again. Unfortunately Kisara was in a playful mood and decidedly stopped her poking as she scanned the floor for her clothes once more, hiding a wide grin.

"_Guten morgen, Herr Kaiba _…"

"That sounded _so_ wrong for some reason."

Shaking his head, Seto smirked and quickly placed the phone back onto the nightstand. Kisara couldn't stop herself from laughing as she found herself lying beneath him and her hand had found its way to his silver chain in an instant.

"So, do I send Rin after Schroeder instead, or I could just kick him out of the tournament?"

She shook her head without even considering either option; after her own run-in with Rin, she didn't want Zigfried suffering the same and the tournament already faced one duelist pulling out. No, she and Zigfried had been good friends once and Kisara figured she could just call on that again and talk it through. It was her problem to fix.

"No, I'll sort it out myself."

"If you're sure …"

Nodding her head, Kisara smiled lightly; she needed to learn to stick up for herself some time, and not depend on Seto to make it all better. His hand framing her cheek banished any thoughts of Zigfried. Not very much light made it through the bedroom window, with winter keeping its hold over the dark mornings, but she could still see the glint in his dark blue eyes as he leaned down for a slow kiss.

* * *

"So what're you going to do?"

Kisara shrugged her shoulders as she took a sip of hot chocolate. She had just told Vivian all about the article on the internet and who had provided Rie with the information that had appeared on most newspapers this morning.

"I'll just talk to him I suppose …"

"And say what? Hey, about your girlfriend … if you could keep my name out of the pillow-talk. I don't think that's gonna work chick."

Though she took a breath to say something, Kisara frowned and let it out again; what _was_ she supposed to say? Vivian smiled happily as she nodded her head and placed her mug of coffee on the table. They were seated in one of Domino's many cafés and Kisara couldn't help noticing how many glances were being sent her way.

"Well, I guess you could just use those big blue eyes of yours and ask him to stop talking about you. I bet Ziggy'll do anything for you …"

"What's that supposed to mean, Viv? We haven't spoken in years."

Kisara idly overlooked the part where she had corrected him about his dueling strategy all those months ago; that hadn't exactly been the most civil of conversations. Vivian rolled her eyes with a knowing smile and winked at a passing waiter that was probably a couple of years too young for her. Reluctantly pulling her attention away from the young man, Vivian took another sip of coffee.

"But he was crazy about you those years ago! Look, how old were you when we met? About sixteen, on the way to seventeen?"

Kisara nodded her head dumbly over the mug of hot chocolate; what did that have to do with anything. She received a light kick to her shin as Vivian smiled coyly.

"Don't think I didn't notice all the phone calls and emails, sweetie; we lived together after all!"

Groaning, Kisara glanced to the clock on the wall and ran a hand through her hair; a habit she was picking up off of Seto. Why couldn't her life just stay simple? They had just gotten over the whole time-limit thing and now something else was rearing its head to mess things up.

"How's grumpy-pants this morning anyways?"

Glad for the change of topic, the heiress smiled. She had become used to Viv's many nicknames for Seto over the last few weeks, that said he had quite a number of comebacks for her aswell; _cougar_ seemed to be one of his favourites lately.

"He's fine. I think there's a bit of a hiccup with one of the duelists trying to pull out of the tournament."

"Oh, which one?"

"The good-looking one."

"Ah, Shane …"

Kisara delivered her own light kick as Vivian smiled dreamily into her mug. Mai and Téa had been meant to meet them here aswell, but both had cancelled; Mai was covering her friend's shift at a bar and Téa's time was taken up by ballet practice. In retrospect, she was happy Vivian was the only one in the café with her; she had already known about her friendship with Zigfried. Téa and Mai would have probably blown it out of proportion.

"How's Rebecca getting on finding a dress?"

Blinking at the question, Kisara smirked and placed her hands around her mug to warm them. Mokuba had mentioned Vivian and Rebecca being enemies during the KC Grand Prix, both vying for Yugi's attentions and none too fond of each other. But things seemed to have changed this time around though, as the two got along like a house on fire.

"Mokuba mentioned something about her getting one in Tanaka's along with Suzu."

"Who?"

"Umm … she went to the tournament launch with Zigfried's brother."

"Ah, I remember her; the girl with the pretty eyes. Is she going to the dance-thingy too?"

Kisara nodded her head with a smile; poor Suzu had been bullied into returning the favour and inviting Leon to the formal. Rebecca was a match-maker by nature, but she got the impression Suzu was happy to remain friends with the younger von Schroeder brother.

The formal was taking place tomorrow evening, so Rebecca was fully in freak-out mode as she tried to organise everything; the blonde had volunteered herself to help with the decorating, which left her a two hour window to actually get ready for the formal … well, at least that's what she had been ranting about last night in the mansion. Kisara found herself pitying poor Mokuba; the teenager had to deal with not only his girlfriend, but had to get himself set for the formal, keep on top of his schoolwork and somehow juggle his duties as a commissioner for the dueling tournament too.

"Hey, I knew I had something to ask you! What's your worse half calling this tournament? I mean there was Battle City and the KC Grand Prix … what about this one?"

"Umm … I have no clue."

Blinking at Viv's question, Kisara shrugged her shoulders and frowned. She knew that the advertisements for the tournament were due to air on television tonight, but even that wasn't certain anymore until they could fix the problem of Shane Jordan bowing out of the competition.

"So, you want me to go with you to Ziggy's building? Ooooh, that's new!"

Kisara had little time to react as Vivian reached across the small table and grabbed her right wrist, promptly inspecting her new bracelet. The duelist took her time in scrutinizing the piece of jewellery before she nodded, just as she had with her engagement ring. Having two rich jewellers as parents had definitely rubbed off on Vivian.

"Aquamarine gems and white gold … very pretty if I do say so myself. Where did you get it?"

The brunette nodded her approval as she relinquished her hold on the other girl's wrist. Kisara eyed her bracelet for a second longer; she hadn't even thought to ask what the gems were, or whether it was silver or a variation of gold. A kick to her shin brought the her back to the present.

"Oh umm, Seto gave it to me last night …"

Kisara trailed off as she blushed and tried to stop an embarrassed smile from surfacing as Vivian kicked her again, lighter this time.

"You are so loved-up it's almost cute … almost. So, d'you want me to come with you to Schroeder's place or not?"

Looking to the clock again, Kisara shook her head and finished the last of her hot chocolate.

"No, I can deal with it but thanks. I have to run now anyway, one of the limos should be along soon. Here …"

Vivian shook her head as her friend stood and sifted through her handbag for her purse, pulling out some cash. Waving her hand, the duelist stood and laughed.

"I've got this, Kisara; you have enough to deal with today. Best of luck with Ziggy, and fill me in on everything, chick!"

Nodding her head, Kisara put away her purse and shouldered her handbag as Vivian gave her a light hug. Returning the embrace, she was silently thankful to Seto for bringing her best friend to Japan; Vivian seemed to make things just a little bit easier to deal with.

* * *

"Would you like me to wait here, Ms. Ashbrook?"

Undoing her seatbelt, Kisara looked to the rear-view mirror and smiled lightly as she shook her head.

"Not at all, Kosuke. I'll just get one of the limos at KaibaCorp when I'm finished here, but thank you."

The kindly driver nodded as she climbed out. Heading for the steps leading up to SchroederCorp's doors, Kisara saw a few people glance her way and vaguely wondered why Kosuke hadn't questioned her destination; it must have seemed awfully odd.

Reaching the top of the steps, Kisara pushed the heavy door open and his a small frown. The lobby hadn't changed much in the months since her last visit; still the same dark wood panelling and sparse furniture. A couple of people sat around small coffee tables and read newspapers as they waited … newspapers that probably sported Rie's article on the front page or somewhere else inside it. Catching the receptionist giving her a weird look, she couldn't help but wonder what people must think; she was engaged to the owner of KaibaCorp, but was standing bold as brass in the lobby of SchroederCorp; one of Seto's biggest rivals in the gaming industry.

Feeling a blush creeping into her cheeks, the young woman let the door swing shut behind her and made her feet take a few steps forward, despite feeling as though her shoes were solid concrete blocks.

"How can I help you?"

The receptionist somehow managed to mask her surprise with a friendly smile as she asked the question. One or two of the waiting business people glanced up from behind their newspapers as Kisara approached the front desk and brushed her fringe out of her eyes.

"I … I wonder if it w-would be possible to s-speak with Mr. von Schroeder, please."

Even she could hear the quiver in her quiet voice as she spoke. The burning in her cheeks only intensified as the girl asked her to wait a moment. Another receptionist, older than the first girl, appeared and flashed a sincere smile as she picked up the phone.

"I don't think there are any meetings today, so if you'll bear with me, I'll just give him a call to be sure."

Kisara nodded her head and forced herself to return the smile. Suddenly none of this seemed such a good idea; why hadn't she let Seto deal with it after all? Just as she racked her mind for an excuse to leave, the second woman placed the phone receiver down and smiled again.

"That's no problem Ms. Ashbrook; if you'd like to follow me, I'll show you to Mr. von Schroeder's office."

"Th-thank you."

Despite her growing doubts, Kisara found herself following the woman out of the lobby, somehow having the presence of mind to grab one of the newspapers lying on an empty coffee table.

The walk to Zigfried's office was a long one dotted with attempts at small-talk by the receptionist. The woman was very tactful with her friendly questions, only asking ones about how she was finding life in Japan. After an entirety they entered a hallway with various representations of a purple rose.

"He's expecting you, so I'll leave you to it, Ms. Ashbrook."

The woman was gone in an instant. After being led up twelve storeys and through a number of different corridors, Kisara found herself abandoned outside a large dark wood door, the purple rose design of SchroederCorp creeping up everywhere in the décor. She faltered; she could just turn on her heel now and leave the building, pretending to had talked to him … but Zigfried was expecting her now. Wringing the newspaper in her hands, the young woman let out a very shaky sigh. She had knocked on the door before realising it. With little all else to do, she took a breath and pushed the door open.

Zigfried's office was just as dark as his lobby downstairs; a large north-facing window did little to offset the room's deep burgundy carpet and the same oppressive wood panelling. She probably glanced around the office for a few seconds too long as an amused voice broke the silence.

"My, my what a surprise, Kisara. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

A blush should have surfaced as she looked to him, just as it had at his company's launch function, but no redness rushed to her cheeks and she Kisara knew why. The only reason she had blushed back then was because so many people had been watching. The man standing up from his desk and brushing down his suit had changed very, very little since they were children, the main difference being his height. And looking at such a familiar face, Kisara felt no need to blush or stutter her way through the visit.

"This, This is why I'm here."

Holding out the creased newspaper, she noticed that he blinked before looking to the tabloid; he was probably a bit surprised at how forward she was being … she was even surprising herself. Letting him take the paper from her, the young woman searched her brain for the right words to explain her predicament, but all that came to mind was Vivian's blurt about pillow-talk.

"I have seen this already and I apologise wholeheartedly. It was never my intention for the press to know all this."

Not quite sure how to react to his sincere words, Kisara instead went on the defensive.

"Seto wanted to kick you out of the tournament."

"But you stopped him?"

"I asked him not to."

An amused laugh echoed around the dreary office as Zigfried leaned back against his desk, placing the crumpled newspaper down. He kept his icy eyes on Rie's picture for a few more seconds before shaking his head.

"_Herr_ Kaiba has one less reason to dislike me after today; I ended my relationship with Rie."

Kisara faltered at that; her poorly-concocted plan of sorting things out had never encompassed breaking the couple up. Whatever defence she had been propping up fell in an instant and she couldn't help but take a few steps towards him.

"Oh Zigfried, I didn't mean for that-"

"It's quite alright; that girl wouldn't know how to be with someone if her life depended on it."

Kisara giggled lightly at that and nodded her head; the consensus on Rie Mitsuru seemed to be unanimous. He smiled and suddenly it was like they were little kids again, as though life had never interrupted their young friendship. Something in the tense atmosphere slipped and before she knew it they were both smiling.

"So how are you these days Kisara?"

"Things are good, thank you for asking."

She smiled as she answered, glad that they could talk normally after so many years with little contact. Glancing at the clock on the wall and then to the window, the young woman figured she had better get a move-on if she was to get a limo home before the snow got too bad.

"Thanks for meeting with me, but I better get going. We should do this again, Zigfried."

He nodded his head in agreement and Kisara turned towards the door; maybe she had been worried about nothing after all. Happy with herself, she walked towards the door.

"What about your uncle? How are things there?"

Kisara froze with her hand hovering over the door handle. Whatever tension there had been seeped back into the room and made its presence known as Zigfried spoke again, the usual tone of arrogance undermining the civility of a few minutes ago.

"Surely _Herr_ Kaiba doesn't know everything-"

"Drop it Zigfried, please."

Turning around to face him, Kisara was surprised to see he had left his desk and was only a few steps away from her. He seemed somewhat ashamed, glancing down at the floor before looking back to her.

"He's lucky … you're too good for him."

"Enough Zigfried."

Kisara shook her head as she almost whispered the words; he was right in front of her now, looking down with those light ice-blue eyes. She had a nagging dread tossing about in her stomach; this was too surreal.

"I'm happy with Seto."

"Happy in an arranged marriage with a time-limit?"

"Yes."

The bluntness of her answer hung in the air for a few seconds before SchroederCorp's owner let a forced bark of laughter fall.

"I get it, Sara. You two have to get married for KaibaCorp and the Estates, but I do not want your company or his."

"What?"

She was honestly lost now. He had thrown her by using her nickname and she was struggling to get a grip on the conversation between keeping a tab on the worsening weather outside the window.

"Look, I really need to go-"

"You were my first crush, the way you blushed when I kissed your cheek."

She paused for a second before an echo of a memory surfaced.

"We were _children_, Zigfried."

Kisara fought the urge to laugh despite the seriousness of their conversation. She very vaguely remembered what he was talking about; she had been seven or eight at the time and it had been a simple game of chase in the stables … Natalie had said they looked cute together, like a mini-couple and he had given her a peck on the cheek. Fidgeting with her engagement ring, Kisara shook her head.

"I'm marrying Seto."

"Affairs can happen in the best of marriages."

Maybe he had changed after all; the Zigfried she had known had always strived to be the best at everything, to place first amongst his peers … not settle for being number two in the pecking order. She should have been outraged at such a bold offer, but instead all she felt was pity.

"You deserve someone who will love you, not be a second choice."

Kisara blinked as a hand framed her cheek; she had nowhere to retreat to with her back against the door.

"Do you love Kaiba?"

"Yes."

The answer was simple, one that came to her lips much easier than she had thought it would, and that shocked her. When had it turned from being happy to love? She had toyed around with the notion a few times in the past, such as the day in the woods when Roland had found her … but today was the first time she had acknowledged how she felt.

Whatever reverie had claimed her attention, Kisara felt it disappear in an instant. She also felt something else; lips against her own, but they were different. They weren't Seto's.

She had been angry before, she had been angry about the time-limit and about her private life being leaked to the press, but she was nothing short of livid as she pushed Zigfried away and raised her hand; how dare he take advantage like that. Kisara blinked as a hand caught her wrist, stopping her from slapping him. The grip tightened and she winced.

"You're hurting me, Zigfried!"

His grip loosened just a little. She didn't wait to see his sorry eyes or hear his apology. Her handbag fell to the floor as she wrenched her hand back and spun for the door. The corridors and elevator trip down to the ground floor lobby seemed non-existent as she made a bee-line for the street outside.

The snow was falling in a rushed flurry that matched her gait. Suited men and women pushed past in a bid to get home after work, but Kisara just kept her head low as her mind tried to digest what had just happened. Had she somehow caused it? Had her asking to meet with him led Zigfried on? No, she had made her stance quite clear two or three times. But … he had kissed her. Did that mean she had cheated? She could feel her eyes beginning to sting and tears started to blur her way, but Kisara sniffed and tried to swallow the lump in her throat. She wouldn't break down here, not in the middle of the street where anyone could see her.

She had pushed through KaibaCorp's door before she even noticed it. Her mind was still all over the place trying to work out what to do. The lobby was thankfully busy, letting her squeeze through the buzzing people towards the elevator. Pushing the button a few times, Kisara felt one tear break loose but wiped it away. Losing her patience, she pushed the button a few more times, taking her temper out on the slow machine. Running her hand through her hair, she tried to blink away the welling tears as anger started to flare. This wasn't her fault and he shouldn't have put her in that kind of position.

"Ah, I've been looking for you."

The elevator finally arrived and the doors slid open as Rin spotted her and stalked towards her, wagging a finger. Wiping away another tear, Kisara spun on the spot; she was in no humour to let the secretary tear strips off of her.

"Rin, I think we've established I didn't leak anything to the press at this stage and I don't have the mentality to stand here and be attacked, so just back off!"

Catching herself at the last second, Kisara blinked and placed her hand over her mouth; where had that come from? Rin looked twice as shocked as she let her jaw hit the floor. Roland and Isamu had walked into the scene and were now just staring at her.

"Ms. Ashbrook …"

Kisara shook her head as Roland took a step towards her. Looking to Rin, she felt a few more tears race to her chin.

"I'm sorry."

With that whispered apology, Kisara rushed into the elevator and hammered on the button that would bring her down to the garage. Even as the doors slid shut, the young woman sniffed and tried to hang onto what composure she had left. Get a limo and make it home. Then she could sift through her confused thoughts. Looking at herself in the mirrored wall of the elevator, Kisara tried to dry her tears. Why was she so upset? Because she had put herself in that position in the first place. Because he had kissed her.

The underground garage was silent as she walked towards one of the waiting limos. It was only as Hiroki asked her destination and started the engine up that Kisara felt a whole new sensation in her stomach; guilt. What was she supposed to tell Seto? She _had_ to tell him; what if he found out some other way? It would make her look ten times worse for trying to hide it from him. Chewing a nail, the young woman buried her head in her hands and groaned; she should have let Seto deal with Zigfried, or accepted Vivian's offer to come with her.

Looking out the tinted window, she tried to organise herself. She'd call Vivian and see what advice her friend would provide. Reaching for her handbag, Kisara felt realisation dawn on her; she had dropped her handbag in Zigfried's office and her phone was in it, along with her purse and her house keys.

The limo's tyres skidding a little seemed to lure her attention back to the present. Glancing to the rear-view mirror through the open partition, Kisara could see Hiroki looking back at her, a forced smile on his face.

"Sorry about that, Ms. Ashbrook; the snow's very bad today."

She nodded her head, suddenly aware of how heavy the snow was falling and of the treacherous nature of Domino's roads as motorists struggled to control their vehicles. The limo skidded a little to the right as Hiroki tried to negotiate a turn onto one of the city's major roads. Feeling a little nervous, Kisara kept a hand on her seatbelt as they entered a straight stretch in the road; she didn't like this one bit.

Hiroki saw the other vehicle before its driver spotted them, but it was too late as the anti-locking breaks kicked in and jarred his vehicle forward, barely slowing as a car pulled out from a junction straight at them. Kisara felt her stomach lurch and she knew they were in a skid as her view of the skyscrapers was whipped away. A car horn blared and tyres spun as they tried to gain some kind of traction on the road.

"Shit, get down, Ms. Ashbrook!"

She barely heard Hiroki's shout as he wrestled with the steering wheel, she had just seen what he had; there was another limo coming straight towards the side of theirs. Whatever instinct took hold of her, she covered her head with her hands and screwed her eyes shut. A bang was the first thing she heard; a loud screech of metal colliding with metal. Then there was a horrible jarring that sent her head sharply backwards before a white light burst behind her eyes.

* * *

Mokuba sighed as he turned his mobile phone over in his hands for the umpteenth time. Was there an unwritten rule that girls lost track of time when they were shopping? It had been almost two hours now and Rebecca and Suzu were still choosing between dresses, with only a couple of other customers browsing around Emiko's shop. As the hours passed each of his friends had dropped like flies; he had started out with Leon and two other friends, but none of the boys possessed the stamina it took to shop with females … years in the mansion with the maids had trained the younger Kaiba well. Roland's older son, Daiki, had helped pass the time as he showed off his new Duel Monsters deck and outlined his plans to beat Yugi when he was older.

"What about this one?"

"Gorgeous."

"You didn't even look!"

"I don't need to, you look gorgeous in anything."

Flashing a smile, Mokuba looked up at his girlfriend and chuckled as a red tinge seeped into her cheeks; there must have been another rule about not being able to accept compliments too.

"Oh, aren't you full of it …"

Yawning, the teenager nodded his head with a satisfied grin as Emiko walked past him towards Rebecca and Suzu. At least Suzu had chosen a dress … eventually. Now just came the prospect of getting Bec sorted; the sooner this formal thing was over, the better. All the girls in school were getting ratty about tomorrow night and he was bored of getting his head bitten off. Besides, the new tournament would be starting in a few more days and he had yet to get his hands on a commissioner's schedule; Shane Jordan trying to pull out of the competition had thrown a lot of meticulous planning out of sync. Now Rin was probably head-hunting for another duelist, which meant the commissioners would be put on the back-burner until the space was filled. Mokuba had a nagging feeling he might have to dust off his own deck if Rin and Seto couldn't find anyone else to plug the gap in time; Duel Monsters wasn't his favourite game but he could hold his own if Seto needed him to - it would be a lot easier to operate with one less commissioner than being one-short on duelists.

Running a hand through his hair, the teen yawned and let his attention wander to the window; the snow had gotten a lot worse since they had come into the shop. Turning his phone over again, Mokuba questioned his sanity in agreeing to the shopping trip; he was tired, hungry and he wanted to go home as soon as possible before the roads got too bad. Hearing her wavering on a dress over its price, he looked to his girlfriend with disbelief; Suzu was already out of her dress and gathering her things to go. She had tried on that same dress twice already and he could tell it was her favourite. Standing from the waiting seat, Mokuba sent a wink Suzu's way and swiped the hanger from Rebecca's hand, giving it to Emiko along with his debit card.

He knew he was in trouble as soon as her hands landed on her hips and she started tapping her foot on the floor; his girlfriend was a girl who didn't like having money flashed under her nose.

"Mokuba, that's not-"

"Bec, it's cool … call it an early birthday present for next week. Emiko, you can put Suzu's dress on that aswell please."

"No, she can't-"

Pulling Rebecca and her friend towards the door of the shop, Mokuba nodded his head with a smile and ignored their protests.

"It's a bribe to get you two out of here."

Leaving the girls to gather their things, he walked back to the counter and said his thanks to Emiko as she handed back his debit card; the dresses would be ready to collect tomorrow afternoon with any alterations made. The teenager left another word of thanks and a bow with Roland's wife as Rebecca held the shop door open, waiting for him to catch up.

The noise of skidding tyres and a car horn claimed everyone's attention, each anticipating the next sound. A few shouts from outside were cut off as metal hit metal in a horrible screeching clash. But it was the colour of his girlfriend's face that the younger Kaiba brother focused on; she was ashen. Any anger she had held for him splashing out on her dress was gone as she looked to him.

"It's a KaibaCorp limo …"

* * *

"You need to wake up, Kisara. You must get out."

She didn't know whose voice was talking to her, or where exactly she was but something felt wrong. Almost giving in to unconsciousness again, Kisara felt someone shake her shoulder. She came to in an instant; there shouldn't have been anyone in the back seat with her, unless Hiroki had somehow made it back there. Forcing her eyes open, she immediately knew why something felt off as blood rushed to her head and her hair responded to gravity; she was upside-down.

Feeling panic rising in her throat, she tried to call out to whoever would listen, but only a hoarse croak came out; her chest hurt too much as the seatbelt held all her weight. Despite her fear, one thing made it through to her mind in clarity; she needed to get out before something else crashed into them. Trying the release button of her seatbelt, there was no click and try as she might, Kisara couldn't disengage her safety-belt.

"Hurry. We have little time."

She wasn't alone in the back of limo and somewhere between relief and dread, she recognised the voice as one she had heard before. She had heard it the morning she had fallen off of her desk chair and landed on it; the voice she had presumed belonged to one of the gardeners. Still frantically pushing at the release button, Kisara could feel panic clawing at her again as she heard other cars approaching.

"I can't, it's jammed!"

It was only then that she looked towards the source of the voice and felt her stomach flip as blood thumped around her head. The tanned complexion and short brown hair struck a chord with her, but it was his blue eyes that she recognised most; the same vacant eyes that had watched her from under the sakura tree.

"You …"

"Please, I am here to help. Another vehicle will collide with this one in a few moments."

The stranger placed his hand over hers and pressed down on the seatbelt's release catch, pulling at the belt at the same time. But in the moment his hand touched hers, Kisara saw him differently; he wore a turban one second, but in the next instant he was clothed in robes and held a large key with golden earrings and a tattoo across his forehead.

A click was heard and Kisara gasped as she fell from her place pinned to the seat; strong arms caught her and lowered her slowly. The limo's door was dragged open and she felt someone else's arms pulling her from the upside-down limousine. Snow flurried around her as she blinked and let herself be half-lifted off of the road as voices shouted warnings before another car skidded into the upturned KaibaCorp limo. Seeing the newest collision in slow-motion, Kisara made to start forward, but was held back; Hiroki must have been the one to pull her out.

"But he's still in there, the man who-"

"Kisara … there was no one else in there."

She blinked at the voice and looked to her rescuer; Mokuba was looking down at her with deep worry in his violet eyes. Kisara shook her head to try and make sense of what had just happened. She heard an onlooker state she must be in shock. Shock? If ever there was an understatement. Looking to where their limo had been, she felt her head spin; another limo was on its side and the newest vehicle to join the crash had just come to a stop with its driver climbing out, being helped by some onlookers. The KaibaCorp limo was now sandwiched between the new car and the side of a building; she was lucky to have gotten out when she did. Her head spun a little more and ringing filled her ears as the chatter of bystanders faded into the distance and her knees buckled beneath her.

"Whoa, I've got you …"

Mokuba's voice sounded muffled as he caught her as she fainted. Before she knew what was happening, the teenager had lifted her frame and sirens blared in the background noise. Feeling a familiar shiver run up and down her spine, Kisara threw a half-focused look ahead of her. She didn't know why, but the young woman felt relief as she saw a tall figure with tanned skin turn and walk away down a side-street.

* * *

The centre diamond sparkled under the strong fluorescent lights. It was the first time she had taken the ring off since arriving in Japan and her left hand felt strange without the piece of jewellery weighing it down. A nurse flitted over and flashed a smile as she started inspecting the few cuts and bruises her patient had acquired.

"It's beautiful, I must say."

Blinking as the woman spoke, it took Kisara a second to realise what the topic of conversation was; her engagement ring. Nodding her head, she winced as the nurse began cleaning the small cuts on her arm. Looking out the window into the hospital's corridor, she saw two familiar faces outside in the waiting area. Mokuba was standing and walking paces as he talked to whoever was on the other end of his phone whilst Rebecca sat and fidgeted nervously.

"Apart from some scratches and bruises, you seem fine, Ms. Ashbrook. The doctor has agreed to let you go home, so I'll just go get the release forms and I'll be back to you in a few minutes, okay?"

She managed to nod her head as the chirpy nurse exited the small examination room, leaving the young woman staring down at her engagement ring with doubt. The other limo involved in the crash, the one that had hit theirs had been a SchroederCorp vehicle and Kisara had to wonder how far coincidences stretched. Maybe it was karma's way of telling her something; she would have to tell Seto about Zigfried's advance. She had no doubt her phone was buzzing with missed calls and text messages as it lay in his office. But what would Seto think? That was the reason her engagement ring was off of her finger now. It was bad enough that she had kissed another man, that _he_ had kissed her, but of all the people Seto disliked …

The door opening made her look up, and Kisara felt relieved as Rebecca walked towards her. It was weird to see the blonde not smiling or laughing, but it was short-lived as the girl managed to raise a small attempt at a smile. Plonking down on the bed beside her, Kisara felt the corners of her mouth lifting as Rebecca hugged her lightly, probably afraid of hurting her.

"I was so scared …"

"It's just a few bumps, I'll be fine Rebecca."

Letting her smile grow, Kisara returned the hug as the youngster gave a light sniff. A few voices floated through the open door as more faces looked in from the corridor; Mai and Vivian were the leaders, followed closely by Téa. Though Viv made to walk through the door, she stopped short and flashed a smile before walking towards one of the waiting chairs and sitting down beside the other girls. One more face appeared and Kisara felt a mixture of relief and dread bubble through her. Rebecca gave her one more light hug before jumping from the bed and exiting the room.

Seto didn't know here his head was as he walked through the door; he wanted to be here in the present, but his mind was too busy drawing parallels between now and another life. He had tried her phone countless times since news had broken about the crash, but each time it rang until her voicemail picked up. A scrape ran along her left cheek and a dark bruise snaked up to her collarbone. He had felt sick when Mokuba called him, sick that he had let this happen. It could have so easily turned into a re-run of the past.

"Kisara."

She felt tears stinging again as Seto's hand traced along her cheek. Whatever little composure she had been hanging onto, or whether it had been shock holding her emotions at bay, Kisara felt the wall crumbling away as the day's events flashed through her mind.

"Seto, I'm so sorry!"

"Hey, what have you got to be sorry about?"

He swallowed hard as she wrapped her hands around his neck and found a hiding spot in the crook of his neck. He just stood there for a few seconds, holding her as his thoughts ran amuck. If anyone should be sorry, it was him; he shouldn't have let this happen. He should have just tossed Schroeder out of the tournament, at least then she wouldn't have had to get that limo … He blinked as something was pressed into the palm of his hand.

"I swear I didn't mean for it to happen, Seto."

"What are you-"

The young man broke off as he held up the small piece of jewellery. This made no sense; it had only been last night that he had given her the bracelet and made things clear. He cupped her chin and made her look up at him, wiping away a couple of her tears. She blinked and shook her head as he tried to slip the ring back on her finger; it was now or never. Taking a breath, Kisara blurted her words out in one go, knowing if she stopped she wouldn't tell him.

"No, hear me out first … I went to SchroederCorp and I met with Zigfried and he told me he'd broken up with Rie and then we talked."

Seto frowned as she wiped away a few more tears and took a step away from him; as much as he hated Schroeder, that was no reason for her not to talk to him. His fight with that wannabe was his own.

"Kisara, that's nothing to-"

"He kissed me."

She clamped her eyes shut as she said it and waited for whatever words came next, but none did. The room filled with a thick silence and Kisara suddenly doubted herself; maybe she should have said nothing. She placed a hand on his arm and shook lightly, trying to force a watery smile.

"Seto, say something."

He heard her plea, but Seto Kaiba's attention was on something else entirely. The bracelet he had bought her seemed even more striking against the dark marks running around her wrist; dark bruises that didn't look like the product of a car crash.

"Did he do that?"

The low tone and seriousness of his voice caught her off-guard; the only other time she had heard his voice like that had been the day the time-limit had been leaked, when he had warned Rin. She just about nodded her head as he ran a hand over her right wrist where a few bruises were beginning to bloom; bruises in the shape of a handprint. Seto nodded his head before locking eyes with her.

"I'll kill him."

She caught his arm as he made to turn for the door and pulled him back to look at her.

"Seto please, he's not worth it!"

"Kisara, he hurt you!"

Placing her hands either side of his neck, she forced him to look down at her. A few seconds ticked by as she held his gaze, but Kisara looked away as tears started to well; she was the one making him this angry. Recalling her hands abruptly, the young woman turned and walked a few feet away.

"I shouldn't have let him, I'm sorry and I'll sleep in my own room-"

Arms hugging her from behind made her trail off; leaning back against his taller frame, she let the rest of her weak defence fall down as the tears rolled freely. Brushing her hair away from her neck, he placed a light kiss in its place. His temper was still raring, but he had something much more important to deal with.

"You have no reason to apologise. This isn't your fault. As for this, I think it's a little small for me."

Kisara felt relief as he slipped the engagement ring back on her finger and held her tighter. Turning to look up at him, she acknowledged how lucky she was for the first time; the arranged marriage could have so easily swung the other way, and she much preferred searching those cobalt eyes than the icy glare of earlier.

"Come on, let's get those release forms signed and get you home."

"Wait, what about Hiroki?"

Pulling her towards the door, Seto smirked; he had wondered how long it would take her to ask. His driver had been lucky, as had the SchroederCorp driver who had been the soul occupant of the other limo.

"He got away with a broken arm, he'll be off work for a while but things could have been a lot worse."

His undertone made her look up at him, catching the double meaning; it had been a close call for all involved. Standing to her tip-toes as he dipped his head, Kisara leaned into the slow kiss. The happenings of today made it seem like an age since they had joked around in bed this morning and she wanted nothing more than to be safe in the mansion, curled up beside him. A knock on the door ended the kiss as Vivian poked her head in. There was no cheeky smile and no compulsory nick-name for Seto.

"Umm, sorry to barge in, but Ziggy Stardust is here to see you, Kisara."

It took her a second longer than Seto to work out the identity of the visitor, but in that second he had already made it to the door. Coming to her senses, Kisara made for the door aswell; she might be angry at Zigfried, but she didn't want to see him hurt.

"Should I have said nothing?"

Vivian took a step back out into the hallway as her friend pushed past her, but the proverbial had already hit the fan as Kaiba locked onto his target.

"You have a nerve showing up here, you loser."

Zigfried held his ground as Seto squared up to him, all eyes in the corridor suddenly focused on the face-off between the two company-owners.

"I only came here out of concern, and to return something."

"Concern? More like guilt."

"Seto, please …"

Squeezing between the two, Kisara tried to create some space by pushing against her fiancé; today had been bad enough without having to break-up a fight. Eying Zigfried up, she was glad to see her handbag in his possession; at least she wouldn't have to go back for it now.

"Why would I be guilty, _Herr_ Kaiba? Was it not your reckless driver who crashed?"

Seto gave a dry chuckle and inched closer to the upstart.

"My driver is not reckless, now I suggest you beat it, Schroeder."

"Why? Afraid I will catch-up on your conquests? First Rie, then Sara-"

"Seto, don't!"

Catching his arm as he made to throw a punch, Kisara noticed a few nurses looking down the corridor at the commotion; Mokuba had stood from his seat and was half-way to his brother. Catching the teenager's eye, Kisara shook her head and looked up to Seto. He glanced at her fleetingly and tried to reign in his temper a little. Talking through gritted teeth, he leaned just a little closer to the other man.

"If you _ever _set a finger on Kisara again, I'll make you pay, Schroeder."

A silence fell as Zigfried held out the handbag and Kisara took it back. By the time she looked back, her childhood friend had turned on his heel and was stalking towards the elevator at the end of the hall. It was only once the doors slid closed that someone attempted to break the tension.

"So, Bec … any luck finding a dress?"

Rebecca blinked dumbly at Vivian's out-of-place question before catching onto the older woman's drift. Pushing Mokuba towards his brother, the teenager nodded her head and roped Mai and Téa into listening to her conversation.

"Y-yeah, I managed to get one today actually."

The girls' attempt at normality soon spread up the length of the corridor as the nurses carried on with whatever work they had. Walking up to his brother, Mokuba kept his face serious; it had been a long time since he'd seen Seto quite that angry.

"Everything okay?"

It took him a second, but Seto eventually answered.

"It is now. Can you call Roland and get a helicopter organised?"

The teen nodded his head with a smile and set to work on the request, walking away from the couple. Waiting until Mokuba was out of earshot, Kisara frowned and looked up at Seto; his jaw was set and eyes were still fixed on the elevator.

"Seto?"

Her voice seemed to break his train of thought as he blinked and finally tore his eyes away form the lift. The hardness in them vanished and his shoulders sagged a little as he brushed her fringe out of her eyes.

"I mean it, Kisara. If he even looks sideways at you-"

"I know …"

He just looked down into those sapphire eyes for a few heartbeats, searching them until he was sure. Sure that she knew he'd protect her, that he'd knock Schroeder's lights out if he tried to pull another trick like that. The past had seemed much too close today and he didn't like it … he didn't like that thousands of years could creep up on him so fast. The words rose in his throat, but Seto bit them back as she found that hiding place in the crook of his neck again. His arms wrapped around her frame and the young man fought the urge to tell her those three words. If he did, then the past might beat him to it the next time.

* * *

**A/n- Thanks a million for reading through it guys, and for waiting so patiently! Also, a big hello to all the new readers who faved Paper Roses; your emails and PMs mean the world to me! Oh and I promise the next chapter will be along soon! XxxxxxX**

**Notes: **_Ziggy Starrdust_ - I totally blame my twin sis Renolvr for this one and our fascination with David Bowie/Jareth. :)


	35. Weakness

**Author's Note:** Hi everyone and sorry for the longest wait to date! I have multiple excuses including work, writer's block and my friend introducing me to Tumblr! That said, I am very sorry about the wait - I never intended to leave it so long. Anyways, this chapter runs a bit long and still has to be properly gone back over as it's a bit disjointed. Give me a few days and it'll probably be chopped and changed with a few separation lines removed to make it read better. Thanks for waiting! XxxxX

* * *

_There's a lot of strength in weakness, There's a lot of truth in lies._

* * *

"He what?"

Téa nodded her head in response to Yugi's stunned question. The King of Games had even abandoned his deck as he stared at her; not a small feat with only two days left to prepare for the new dueling tournament. Closing the magazine she had been reading, the dancer nodded her head again; she had since been informed of the backstory behind yesterday's company-owner showdown.

"He kissed her. Vivian told Mai, who told me; Kisara went to his office to sort out all the stuff in the press and he kissed her … apparently they used to be friends when they're were kids."

"Bet Kaiba wasn't very impressed …"

Picking up his deck again, Yugi spoke in a bemused tone of voice; he knew a certain CEO who wouldn't be happy at the news. That said, he wouldn't like another guy moving in on Téa.

"No he wasn't, especially when Schroeder arrived at the hospital. He would have punched the loser if not for Kisara stopping him."

Slowing his search through the many cards, the young man looked to his girlfriend and shook his head lightly as she went back to reading her magazine; he didn't think Schroeder was a loser. Kisara was her friend and he could see why Téa disliked the German, but the guy clearly had feelings for his childhood friend. Yugi could relate to that, but he had been lucky and his friend had reciprocated those feelings.

Looking up as she closed her magazine again and took a breath to say something, Yugi Muto hid a knowing smile; once she had a piece of gossip it was the only thing he heard about for days, but he liked it.

"Another thing; the other limo in the crash belonged to SchroederCorp. Kind of makes me wonder …"

His small smile vanished and Yugi found himself locking eyes with Téa as she mused away.

"Téa, that's how rumours start in this city."

The ballerina fell quiet for a few seconds at his warning tone. Biting the nail on her thumb, she considered telling him what had been bugging her since she had rushed to the hospital yesterday. She liked Kisara and she also liked how happy the European made Kaiba; the Seto Kaiba she had once known, with his cocky attitude and sneers seemed to be gone, replaced by a much more mature man. True, Kaiba still had his arrogant moments, but he wouldn't be Seto Kaiba if he didn't.

"But it _does_ make me wonder, Yugi. I mean, I haven't seen Kaiba that angry since Noah brainwashed Mokuba; he really cares about Kisara … what if Schroeder's supposed to be Aknadin in this life?"

Though he thought about her words, turning the hypothesis over in his mind, Yugi eventually shook his head; Zigfried von Schroeder might be Kaiba-enemy number one at the moment, but he wasn't inherently evil like Aknadin had been.

"No, I don't think he is. You said Shadi is back to stop the past, right? Then wouldn't he have somehow stopped Kisara from going to SchroederCorp if that was the case?"

"Mmmm … I suppose so. But that crash was still too close for comfort. It could have ended up like last time."

"What last time, huh?"

Both Téa and Yugi half-jumped as Joey asked the question; they had been so embroiled in their conversation that neither had noticed the shop door opening, the noise of the jingling bell sliding past the two of them.

"Umm …"

Téa fumbled her words as she promptly abandoned her attempt at an answer and looked back down to her magazine, flicking through the pages a bit too quickly as her cheeks burned.

"Oh you know, like that big crash in the city last year when that woman died, remember?"

"Oh jeez yeah, good thing Kisara was alright though."

And with that Joey surrendered to his chronic habit of inspecting the shelves for new booster packs; he had to get ready for money-bags' tournament too. It was only as their friend rounded a promotional stand and disappeared out of view that the King of Games shot his girlfriend a look of relief; _that_ had been too close.

Joey was his best friend and Yugi would trust him with his life in an instant, but the blond had no clue about what had happened to the past-life Kisara. As much as he hated keeping secrets, Yugi couldn't guarantee that Joey wouldn't let the truth slip if he was in an argument with Kaiba.

* * *

Normally she preferred being in Italy during the winter, but the woman just couldn't shake the restlessness that kept her walking in circles. She had been to almost every room in the manor house this morning, walking aimlessly around. The library had received a fleeting visit, the drawing room another but none of the expensive artwork or plush furniture had quashed the uneasiness in her stomach.

For years on end Italy had occupied her for the winter months; there was the vineyard itself, the small town a few miles away and the fresh sunshine that spilled over the surrounding hills. But Isabelle found herself strangely bored as she made her way towards the large kitchen; the same face stared at her everywhere she looked; the television, the internet …

Entering the kitchen, the woman looked towards the small table in the corner where her maids were huddled; the four were the select few she allowed to travel from France to Italy with her and had been employed for decades.

"_Elle est si belle aujourd'hui _…"

Hearing the low words about how beautiful the person in question was, Isabelle raised an eyebrow and smiled as Marie, the oldest of the women, waved her over excitedly. For weeks she had tried to avoid the same face that permeated every media outlook she glanced at. The guilt had been almost too much not so long ago; guilt that her own daughter would never bloom into adulthood, or maybe it had been guilt for not paying enough attention to her second daughter … not until things had run too far away from her.

And yet that guilt seemed only a memory as the face smiled up at her from the newspaper and maids gushed about how much _petite Sara_ had grown up and how lucky she had been to escape that crash. Frowning as she ran her eyes over the text, Isabelle questioned herself; why didn't she mind the girl's face smiling up at her now? The only thing the woman did register was the beat her heart skipped as she glanced over the pictures of the car crash her niece had been involved in. The images of Seto Kaiba's younger brother pulling Kisara from the upturned limousine seemed to steal her breath away. It had shocked her when the Italian newsreader had reported the crash on last night's news; she had almost picked up the phone and called Kisara, but a stern look had stopped her. Instead, Isabelle now poured over the pictures of her little girl, of the tall figure standing beside her in many of the photos and she felt not only relief for Kisara, but gratitude towards that young man.

Hearing a door open with a bang and a hoarse cough, the Ashbrook matriarch started out of her reverie and made to hide the newspaper but her maid was faster; Marie simply nodded her head as she concealed the tabloid under a placemat.

* * *

Kisara didn't know why exactly she had walked to this spot, but she sat on the fallen tree nonetheless. No daisies grew around its broken branches this time though; the harsh cold had seen to that weeks ago.

Watching as Kai ran about in the snow, the young woman felt oddly at ease for the first time in ages. The last time she had found this place in the woods, it had been because of Zigfried; his company's launch still stood out in her mind as he beginning of a new chapter - Seto had kissed her that night. She had been filled with guilt back then too, guilt of possibly falling for him.

And yet here she was again in the same place and because of SchroederCorp's owner once more. Staring down at her bracelet, Kisara let a giddy smile pull at her lips. She knew exactly how she felt this time around; hadn't she told Zigfried to his face? True she wasn't about to laud it around, but the heiress was secretly elated at her own words. Anyone else might say she was being awfully daft and she wouldn't blame them either; living with a guy for a couple of months and already professing _that_ word, but she honestly didn't care what those people thought.

Watching as Kai made a headlong dive into a bank of snow, Kisara felt her giddy grin returning and looked back down to her engagement ring. Her smile only widened as the previous evening rolled through her mind and Kai barked as she re-surfaced.

Roland had organised a helicopter to take them back to the mansion, and she had to admit she had been very apprehensive; the chopper owned by the Estates had seemed too daunting to her eyes, so she had always relegated to private jets and airliners in the past. Rebecca had stayed in the city with her grandfather, leaving Mokuba to call the shotgun seat beside the helicopter pilot and Seto to wrap an arm around her as he fixed the microphone headset over her ears. Her nervousness had fizzled away as the copter climbed higher in the air; Domino had looked so enthralling from the sky, with its lights twinkling in competition with nearby Tokyo city.

Her new DVDs had received a rummage last night as Seto had actually turned his phone off, something Mokuba had told her was a first. The maids had buzzed around for a while, all nine asking how she was with Akari first in line. But the worried women had eventually petered on home and Mokuba had disappeared to his room, and KaibaCorp's chief executive officer had been hers. He had sat on the couch with his arms around her and watched the movie despite not being able to humour it at all. Disinterested questions had been voiced every so often; why didn't the blonde just leave her tower? Why was her hair that ridiculous length? And what was with the frog? He had rolled his eyes when she had told him it was actually a chameleon.

A nuance.

That was all those details were; the main thing being he had sat there and watched the television with his arms around her, making sure not to aggravate the seatbelt-bruise running across her chest. And that was the way they had slept too, with personal space abandoned and the rhythm of each other's breathing as a low metronome. Even when she had woken alone, it had been to an apologetic text message; Kisara pitied her fiancé today. He had a quite a lot on his plate; they were still one duelist short after Shane Jordan had officially pulled-out of the competition yesterday and he also had to bail early from KaibaCorp because Miyuki was having her first shrine-visit today and, as her godfather, Seto would need to be present for the Omi-Yamairi. Roland had also invited her to the shrine, but Kisara had declined; she was Roman Catholic and going to a Shintō shrine just seemed a bit inappropriate in her opinion.

Sighing, the young woman swung her legs to and fro; it was so nice not to have to worry about anything today. Sure, the papers still sported her name as they reported on her near-miss in the crash, but the limelight wasn't beaming in her direction for once. Poor Mokuba was getting the brunt of the attention today as the media zoomed in on his heroics … what other sixteen-year-old would run towards a car crash? And she could fully understand why the paparazzi were swooning for the younger Kaiba all of a sudden.

Mokuba had not only received grateful words from Seto last night, but the teen had been admonished aswell. He had admitted to not knowing who had been in the limo, but simply running to the car when Rebecca had said it belonged to KaibaCorp. In fanciful words it was a tale of a brave youngster, but in retrospect Mokuba had been careless by putting himself in danger's way … and his brother had told him so. But even she could tell that Seto meant well by his words.

Checking her watch, Kisara stood from the fallen tree and called for Kai; evening would be setting in soon and she didn't like the idea of getting lost in the woods, not when Mokuba and Rebecca had their formal tonight; she wanted to see the blonde in her dress. It felt sort of weird to have Rebecca getting ready for a function without picking out a dress for herself also, but Kisara didn't mind too much; it would be nice to stand back and just watch for once.

* * *

"And the last thing you need to know is not to talk to the press, okay?"

Akari smiled as she spoke; after everything that had happened in the mansion during the last week or so, it seemed a bit redundant to mention such a rule. The new maid nodded her head quickly as her eyes darted around the kitchen, trying to take in the new surroundings. Smiling again, Akari ran her eyes down the girl's application; Kaede seemed awfully timid, a trait that the petite maid liked. She couldn't speak for her colleagues, but the gymnast could remember being just like that when she started in the mansion. She had been very nervous and a bit star-struck for the first month or so, but then the novelty had worn off and she had realised Mokuba and Mr. Kaiba were just as human as normal people.

But how exactly she had managed to pull the short straw yet again was a mystery; it was amazing how every other maid disappeared when there was a new girl to show the ropes to. Looking to the newbie, Akari sighed … hopefully Kaede would be worlds apart from Hana.

"So, anything else you want to know?"

Kaede shook her head as the back door opened and a red-and-white blur raced into the kitchen. Kai done a lap of the kitchen before turning to try and jump up on the new person with an excited bark. Managing to run circles around Kaede's feet, the husky's attention was stolen away as Mokuba entered the kitchen. Recognising the familiar face, the hyper dog headed for her new target but was timely held back.

"No Kai, nice try though …"

Hooking a finger around the blue collar, Akari pulled the dog away from Mokuba and his clean tux, shooing her out into the foyer. Grabbing one of the chew-toys on the floor, she flung it down a hall and let the pup loose. Pushing back through the swinging door, Akari smiled as she registered yet another face in the room, with Kaede rooted to the spot and staring at the newest person. Swiping her fringe out of her eyes, Kisara flashed an apologetic smile at Akari, trying not to blush too much under the new girl's gaze.

"Sorry about her Akari, I forgot to bring a leash with me."

"It's fine, Ms. Ashbrook … Kaede, do you want to go to the end room, I'm sure Takara can get you started on something?"

She knew she had a light blush on her own cheeks, but Kisara felt sorry for the mansion's newest employee as she nodded silently and fumbled an awkward bow before making a swift exit out of the kitchen. So that was Hana's replacement …

"I should probably go make sure she knows the way, have fun tonight Mokuba!"

Kisara smiled as Akari sent a wink towards Mokuba and made for the door with an empty laundry basket. At least the house seemed a bit calmer than earlier; lunchtime had been utterly hectic with countless KaibaCorp employees running around the halls. With Seto away from work, it had fallen to Mokuba to take care of what he could and to try and get ready for his school's formal tonight aswell.

"Oh, sorry Mr. Kaiba!"

Stepping to the side just in time, Seto avoided a collision with his maid; that swinging door was definitely going to cause an accident one day, probably with him on the receiving end; he could only jump out of the way so many times.

"Hey bro, there's a note in your study about a meeting with Pegasus, something to do with Industrial Illusions' new batch of cards, and everything's ready at KaibaLand for the tournament, oh and Roland said he left an envelope in your study for you; sounded pretty important."

Great, he'd only just walked through the door and the evening was robbed from under his nose just like that. Screw Pegasus, screw his new card designs and screw that envelope! The mood he was in right now, he felt like throwing the whole damned tournament at the wall and walking away from it. Hitting the switch on the kettle with a little too much force, a protesting spit of water spilled out onto the counter, doing absolutely nothing to placate his humour; stupid kettle.

When Kisara looked his way, Mokuba nodded his head and silently indicated Seto. He'd learned a long time ago to avoid his brother when in a bad mood, but the teenager doubted Seto would get angry with Kisara - she was a very hard person to be mad at.

"E-everything okay?"

Right on cue, Mokuba saw his brother's shoulder sag just a little. That was a marked difference; before Kisara moved in, Seto would have just bitten the head off of anyone who interfered with his bad mood. The water in the kettle bubbled noisily as an answer came.

"It's fine."

His tone might have been more civil, but the answer was no different than past ones. Trying to catch his brother's attention, Mokuba narrowed his eyes; how the hell was anyone supposed to help if he wouldn't let slip what had put him in such a foul humour? Luckily enough, the teenager already knew what had Seto looking for blood per se; the maids never failed in the espionage department. He had been told by Kimiko who had learned it from Aki, who had tapped Akari for info, who had heard it from Isamu and so on up the chain of command.

Standing from the table, Mokuba pocketed his mobile phone and took his time to dust off his tuxedo before looking to Kisara with a friendly smile. He knew he was a trouble-maker, but if that was what it took in this family, well then that was fine by him.

"Some duelists started a petition to get him playing in the new tournament, and seeing as we still have no one to fill Shane Jordan's place, _I_ think it would be a good idea."

"And I told you the answer's no."

Seto was staring straight at his brother, the kettle mimicking his temper and coming to the boil. Despite the uncompromising death-glare, Mokuba rolled his eyes before carrying on.

"Oh, why not? You haven't dueled in ages, everyone wants you in the competition and Rin and I can handle he organising side of things and you know-"

"I said no."

The teenager let loose a frustrated sigh and took a breath to launch back into his argument, but a silent look from Seto put a definite end to the discussion. Instead, Mokuba acted as his age dictated and stormed for the kitchen door, now in as bad a mood as his brother. She knew it was coming and her brain begged the teenager not to look her way, but Mokuba was no telepath.

"Would you tell him it's a good idea, please?"

Kisara felt extremely awkward as the younger Kaiba sent her a beseeching look before heading for the foyer. The door swung back and forth for a few seconds and the kettle's boil died down to silence. In her months living in the mansion, Seto and Mokuba had never fallen out. Of course there had been jokes and smart comments between the two, but never a serious disagreement. And now she was straight in the middle of it. Call her childish, but the young woman wished her walk in the woods had taken a little longer; it was hard enough to tell others her opinion on matters, but it was a whole other challenge to jump into the crossfire of a sibling spat.

A deep blush rapidly took over her cheeks as Seto looked to her, pushing down the button of the kettle again and raising his eyebrows ever so slightly - waiting for her side of the argument. Though she tried to reign it in, the blush burned a deeper colour. The low battery warning of her mobile phone coincided with the kettle boiling yet again. She shook her head as he flashed a small smile, his bad mood seemingly gone for the moment.

"Well, is it a good idea?"

"I'm not getting involved. It's none of my business …"

Even as she said it, Kisara knew the words felt wrong coming from her mouth. Walking across the kitchen, she tried to work out what seemed so out of place in her answer. Normally she just kept her head down and only offered advice when asked for it, and that had worked fine in the Estates and university. Unfortunately, she wasn't a teenager anymore and she had no guardians to run the show; marriage was throwing her in at the deepest end. Still trying to figure it out, she lifted the kettle and poured water into the waiting mug, watching as the coffee granules dissolved. Light hands rested on her hips as he stood a little closer and her fiancé's low voice sounded beside her right ear.

"What if I want it to be your business?"

When she turned it was to look up at the Seto the media world never saw; the one who had the weight of an entire corporation on his shoulders. The same man that refused to admit fatigue could taint him, adamantly fighting back yawns in her presence even now. The scar above his eye showed for a second before hair covered it again, but Kisara had figured it out in that second; why her answer had seemed so inadequate. The engagement ring on her finger made his business hers aswell.

"I've seen footage of Battle City, Seto. You loved dueling, and you managed to run the KC Grand Prix and duel at the same time, so why not duel this time around?"

His smug smile grew just a little. He'd been expecting a mumbled vouch for Mokuba's side of the argument, but he liked this thought-out approach much more, and it was a difficult to argue with her logic. He could get Rin to move around some things, rope a few of the officials together to keep tabs on meetings and work KaibaCorp from a distance; it would only be for a week or two at the most and Roland could easily keep an eye on the databanks just in case anyone tried anything. But there were other things to worry about; construction at Duel Academy was almost at a standstill until they could overcome a few issues, he had to stop postponing that meeting with Pegasus and Schroeder was a constant problem in the back of his mind and it wasn't because of any hacking attempts.

"Maybe I just don't want to."

He did want to, at least he thought he did, but there was so much to do and it was a lot easier to convince himself he had no time for actually dueling. He blinked as Kisara handed him the mug of coffee and her hand touched his belt where his deck-holder was situated.

"That's fine, but why carry this around all the time if you're done dueling?"

And that question stuck in his head as Kisara recalled her hand and made for the foyer. He could do both, that much Seto knew, but did he really want to? Running a hand through his hair, the young man shook his head and made for the kitchen door in Kisara's footsteps. He was still trying to decide what to do when Rebecca descended the stairs. Being a little short on spare time, the teenager had cheated and asked Rika to help her get ready, knowing none of her peers would have a qualified stylist aiding them. And Seto had to admit his brother's girlfriend looked well with her hair pinned up and the midnight blue hue of her dress clashing with her eyes. Suzu had been supposed to get ready at the mansion too, but had changed her plans after hearing about his run-in with Schroeder last night; maybe having Leon at the house wasn't the best idea.

Knowing a migraine wouldn't be far around the corner if he kept over-thinking what to do, Seto decidedly pushed the to-duel or not-to-duel problem to the back of his mind as he stood behind Kisara. The maids gushed around Rebecca and filled her with compliments about her dress and how well she looked, but it was Mokuba who managed to catch his attention as Kisara helped Rebecca with a stray curl. The apologetic look was one the older Kaiba knew well and nodded his head with a small smile; there was no point holding a grudge against his own brother over a few heated words.

* * *

The buzzing of his phone failed to wake her, nor did Seto's sleepy voice answering the caller. It was him hurriedly getting dressed that caused her to stir. The windows were still dark without even a hint of the moon and the bedroom was bitterly cold as she turned over and tried to focus.

"Seto?"

He leaned down and kissed her lightly before pulling a hoody over his head.

"I've got to the hospital, I'll be back in a few hours."

And with that rushed whisper, Kisara felt herself falling back into a dream she was starting to become familiar with, one where a boy placed her on his horse and sent her cantering across a star-lit desert. Every time she tried to look back at the boy, he had turned away or the horse was pulling away from him too fast for her to see his face.

The dream was far gone from her mind by the time she woke, sleepily wondering if the pre-dawn phone call had taken place at all. Sitting up and rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Kisara noted the other side of the bed to be empty and cold; so she hadn't dreamed the call. She knew it was early, but the house sounded busy enough despite the hour, so she guessed Seto had come to some sort of decision on whether or not he was taking Shane Jordan's place.

She quickly grew bored of playing hide-and-seek with her clothes and instead pilfered one of Seto's hoodies before padding out into the hallway and groggily setting course for her own room on the other side of the mansion. She paused for a second and decidedly turned in the opposite direction than usual; Akari had shown her a longer way that bypassed the open stairs - it was a much better option when all that covered her modesty was a pair of pyjama shorts and a too-big hoody. She needed a shower and some proper clothes.

Finally arriving at her bedroom, Kisara left the door open behind her as she rifled for fresh clothes. Her attention was stolen as three or four maids walked silently past her door without even a glance in. It wasn't even eight in the morning and yet most of the maids were already in work. It was also rather perturbing to see Akari and her friends so silent. Grabbing a pair of jeans and pulling them on, she fought with her sneakers before making a beeline for the door; something felt wrong. Heading for the stairs, the worry in her chest grew with each hurried step. There were a lot of staff in the mansion that she didn't recognise and she found herself hoping Rin didn't appear; Kisara could all too clearly recall almost shouting at the woman in KaibaCorp's lobby. A tired-looking Rebecca poked her head out from behind a nearby door, hair a bit askew, but at least the youngster had slept in the female side of the house.

"What's going on?"

"I'm not quite sure …"

Shrugging her answer, Kisara handed an elastic hair-tie to the blonde, having one or two around her wrist most of the time.

Downstairs was just as busy as the upper floors, with a full force of maids already at work and suited strangers speaking lowly as they walked past. A couple of people glanced at the two young women who stood in the middle of the foyer at a loss, but most had bigger things to deal with this morning. More strangers filed in through the front door, all led away by one of the maids to some other corner of the mansion. One of the older maids, Takara, exited the living room and took notice of Ms. Ashbrook and young Rebecca. She smiled before jabbing a thumb behind her at the living room door.

"Fair warning, he's not in a talking mood."

"What's going on anyways?"

Rebecca asked the question as Takara brushed off her uniform, but an answer was delayed as the wall-mounted telephone started ringing and the maid excused herself to answer it. Kisara was wracking her own brain for some kind of answer; maybe another duelist had pulled out of the competition? Had there been another earthquake? Not waiting for Takara to return and offer an explanation, the young woman crossed the threshold into the living room, leaving the door open behind her.

He was sitting on the arm of the couch, mind obviously somewhere else. She faltered for a second before placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Seto?"

Of all the things she had been expecting, the flash of a smug smile, one of his frowns or even just a sigh, Kisara wasn't a bit prepared when Seto jerked his shoulder away from her.

"Just go away."

His low voice hit her like a tonne of bricks, but she just took another step closer and tried to get his attention.

"Seto it's-"

"Are you deaf?"

Kisara bit her lip as he looked up at her, eyes dark under his fringe. She stood still for a second as her brain tried to make sense of his serious tone; had she done something wrong? Those dark eyes bored into her own until she blushed a deep crimson and hastily back-tracked out of the room. Tears threatened to choke up her throat, almost breaking free of her hold until she heard Takara answering Rebecca's initial question.

And then her heart sank as if it was filled with lead, not only because of Seto's attitude but because she knew what it was like to lose someone close to her. Natalie had been like her big sister. But Mokuba had said Koji was akin to Seto's father figure … and the ninety-one year-old had passed away during the early hours.

* * *

The next couple of days passed in a blur. More and more people appeared in the mansion and, had it not been for the maids and Mokuba Kisara would have found herself standing quietly in corner unsure of what to do. The ten women kept the many KaibaCorp employees on strict routes to and from the meeting rooms while Mokuba acted as her coach on what needed to be done and when. Apparently Japanese funerals were more than a bit different than their Western counterparts. Cremation was the usual choice in Japan due to a shortage of space in crowded graveyards. Mokuba informed her of all the intricacies she needed to know about, like obtaining a special black and white envelope that would hold something called condolence money.

With the wake being the following day, they faced a problem early-on and it had fallen to the younger Kaiba to rearrange the tournament opening day, or at least try to. The only problem had been Rin and the receptionist was a hard person to please. She had been vehement in her refusal to change the tournament's opening day, citing schedules of the duelists and how everything at KaibaLand was more than ready. And despite being very wary of the woman, Kisara had to admit the secretary was annoying her; what was the problem with postponing the tournament for a couple of days? All of the duelists would be receiving a sum of money for appearing in the competition and she doubted there would be any issues with a delay if everyone wanted to be paid. Call it apathetic, but even she recognised the logic; pay people enough and they'll do what you ask, so long as you ask nicely and apologise for any inconveniences.

But it was only as Rin demanded to see Seto that Kisara decided to step in, cheeks ablaze as she stood in the angry woman's way.

"H-he's not seeing anyone."

What she really wanted to say was if he was refusing to see even her or Mokuba, then Rin would have to get to the back of the line. The dark beady eyes looked her up and down for a couple of seconds before an unfriendly smile pulled at her lips.

"I think he'll see me, now if you don't mind-"

Kisara faltered as she stepped sideways to bar Rin's way, cutting the woman off as she made to step around her and head for the stairs. One or two the maids scurried for the kitchen, probably to report on the face-off in the foyer.

"I s-said he's not seeing a-anyone."

Her blush only deepened as she heard her voice stammering. She might have been short of stature, but Seto's secretary was a scary woman to stand up to and Kisara could feel her resolve running away as she mumbled her stuttered words. Another unfriendly smile permeated Rin's features, even less reassuring than the last.

"You seem to misunderstand something, my girl. You're not a Kaiba yet, if you ever will be one. I answer to Seto Kaiba, not his latest interest."

Something gave way as the young woman registered the words. The thing that had forced her to be polite and seek an amicable end to the conversation vanished and her resolve charged back with a battle-cry. Taking the folder of reports from a stunned Mokuba, Kisara raised an eyebrow as she turned back to the secretary.

"Maybe I'm not the one who has trouble understanding, Rin. I may not be a Kaiba, but the ring on my finger says I'm going to be. Now I suggest you look over these reports that Mokuba put together, along with a list of all duelists involved in the tournament and start contacting them. Tell them we are sorry for the short notice, but due to unforeseen circumstances KaibaCorp's new tournament has been postponed for a week. The company will pay for any additional accommodation costs and will be in touch with new details in the coming days. Also, you might be better off doing so from your KaibaCorp office; there will be a lot of distractions here and, as I already said, Seto is seeing no one."

It took a few edgy seconds, but Rin eventually mumbled what sounded like a very painful "_Yes, Ms. Ashbrook." _before offering a half-bow and turning on her heel towards the front door, leaving Kisara standing in the foyer very red-faced and wondering where her outburst had come from.

After that fiasco, the days had steadily slid into one another. The wake had taken place at the Harada household, where Koji's widow had elegantly tip-toed from room to room in a bid to feed and water her guests. The elderly Reika was convinced to sit down only when a few of the zoo staff took the plates of sandwiches from her. Another difference between western funerals and Japanese ones presented itself; the actual funeral took place on the same day as the wake.

There was no church involved, but a Buddhist shrine was visited, with the open casket on a centre podium. Small shrines had been covered over with white paper, to keep evil spirits away Rebecca had told her. The blond had missed the wake, but had turned up in a black dress for the funeral itself, sliding in beside her. Kisara was glad to know someone else was in at the deep end; Rebecca was a Christian from America. Thankfully the youngster had learned a few things from her years in Japan and she quietly whispered what to do while a monk chanted a strange sutra. She also explained why Koji's wife had to pay for a new name to be placed in the coffin with him; this 'precept' name was to prevent his spirit from returning if his name was called. The ceremony lasted about an hour, an hour that was filled with Rebecca's hushed instruction and Miki's quiet asking of when the funeral was over. Her father was standing beside Seto with his head bowed and mumbling along to another long sutra.

Toshi seemed to be the only person her fiancé would talk to. Mokuba had tried only to be given the cold shoulder. Kisara merely kept her distance and let as much space as he liked fill the gap.

* * *

Two, three, four days? Maybe it had been that long after all. One had easily rolled into the other, letting a hospital visit turn into a wake, then into a funeral and cremation followed finally by a burial. But as always work had roared for attention again and that was where he was now, in his study with a computer screen staring back at him. Seto preferred the screen to everyone else in the mansion right now; too many faces and too many polite words to deal with. Too many people trying to tell him how sorry they were. He hated having his emotions on show and that was why Seto had decidedly remained in his study for the past couple of days.

The young man had thought he'd grown up in the last few years, but now Seto feared he was wrong.

When Mokuba had been taken during Duelist Kingdom and Pegasus had tried to swipe KaibaCorp from under him, he had pushed everyone away and done things his own way. When his mother had died all he had done was clam up and help look after baby Mokie, the same when their father had been killed in a traffic accident. His relatives had tried to help, many had even tried sending him to counselling before their patience had dried up along with his inheritance. But speaking about a person dying would hardly bring them back.

And that was the way things had stayed; he'd never tell the orphanage teachers why he had punched Mokuba's bullies or tell the maids where that new bruise had come from. Silence was always the better option … or at least it had been back then. But then he had seen how it would push away all the women who tried to get close to him and Seto didn't want that to happen again, not when things were finally falling into place. But then why had he told Kisara to go away?

Of all the people he could lose his temper at, she wasn't the person. Mokuba could fire back at him without taking anything personally, but Kisara was the opposite and he knew it; she would take it to heart. Maybe his ego still thought he didn't need her, that a weakness would always be a weakness and he could mourn his losses his own way. She wouldn't understand. He'd been too young to properly grieve his mother and his father had always been too busy to leave an imprint when he had died. After his relatives and the people at the orphanage, Seto had given up on parental figures, so it was no surprise that Gozaburo's death failed to pull at his emotions, but the young man had finally met his match. He couldn't pretend that he wouldn't miss Koji, the person who had helped him with business issues countless times in the past, all under the radar of course. The man had bought into KaibaCorp's shares when it was still only a fledgling in the gaming industry, he had looked after Mokuba a couple of times over the years; he had always just been there. But he wouldn't be anymore. And the hurt that had been writhing around in his chest for the past four days was something new to Seto Kaiba, something he could barely comprehend. If he couldn't understand it, then surely no one else could.

But if that was true then why was he now staring at an internet news article about Kisara's cousin? The Natalie she had mentioned to Vivian had died a tragic death at sixteen. If anything, Kisara was the one person who would understand how he was feeling better than anyone. As for needing her, Seto was stunned by just how much she had silently helped him from the sidelines.

He had called Rin as an after-thought today, having seen an internet advert with a new starting date for the dueling tournament, something he had completely forgotten about. To say he was surprised at what his secretary had told him was an understatement. It just didn't sound like Kisara to stand up to Rin; he knew she could quietly correct people with aplomb or even utter a witty remark now and again, but that had only ever happened when he was with her. The timid person that had arrived from France seemed a distant memory now.

"Push her too far away and you will not be able to reach her when the time comes. I did not save her for you to throw away."

It was too late in the night for any security staff to be in the mansion and none of them, not even Roland, would talk to him so boldly. His eyes left the computer screen in an instant, finding the owner of the voice to be standing before his desk. Instead of questioning the intruder, Seto was too busy eying the newcomer from head to toe; the man had been bald with a tattoo across his forehead the last time he had seen him.

"Shada?"

The name didn't come from one of his own memories, but from those of another life. Another person. Then Kai barked downstairs and when he looked back up, Seto was alone in his study.

* * *

Folding the black dress, Kisara placed it on the chair by her desk and made a mental note to return it to Vivian. Her friend had come up trumps with the black dress and matching pair of shoes for Koji's funeral, but that was where Viv's help had reached its limit and Kisara had to admit she was beginning to feel the pang of loneliness. Mokuba and Rebecca had been a great help, but the teenagers had their own lives to contend with; Mokuba had KaibaCorp to deal with and Bec had a tournament to get ready for. On top of all that both still had schoolwork to keep on top of.

It was almost like she was a newbie in the mansion again, not sure of what to do or where to go. Looking to her laptop, Kisara shook her head and forced a small smile. No, it wasn't like she was a newcomer again - that girl from months ago wouldn't have had texts from Vivian, emails from Téa and Rebecca or the maids checking up on her every so often. Clicking on the top email from Téa, Kisara poised her fingers above the home-keys and started typing out an answer.

He watched for a few seconds as she smiled and started typing. Seto was kicking himself now; he should have roared at that guy for barging into his house. His mind told him he was angry because a stranger had intruded into his home where his family were, but a small voice was counter-arguing in the very back of his brain. If that man had been a stranger then he wouldn't have known his name or recognised him despite the brown hair and modern clothes. But he had seen him before and not just in a far-off memory; Seto had seen the man standing outside the mansion the night the world had learned of the time-limit.

He blinked back to the present as Kisara straightened up from her laptop and walked towards the window of her room, undoing the ponytail her hair was held in. He found a smile playing on his lips as she did so, her camisole top rising a little to show a glimpse of the tattoo across her lower back and the Chinese symbols on her neck disappeared beneath tresses of white. He knocked on the doorframe just after she drew the curtains across the window, turning to face him in one motion. A shadow of hesitation ran across her face, but Kisara smiled lightly nonetheless.

He wanted to say sorry, to apologise for pushing her away, for being such asshole about it. But that was the only way he knew how to deal with some things and he wanted her to understand that. But words were fickle when it came to him and, although he had everything set out neatly in his head, nothing came out of his mouth but a heavy sigh as he sat down on the edge of her bed. Seto didn't know how some people could just warble on about their feelings and whatnot to complete strangers; Kisara was the only person he wanted to say these things to and yet he couldn't - the alien hurt in his chest seemed to bubble up as a lump in his throat, tightening his vocal chords until it hurt.

And just when he thought he couldn't swallow that lump anymore, gentle arms snaked around his neck from behind and he felt her weight against his back. Her chin found the crook of his neck and nestled there, her arms tightening in their embrace ever so slightly and he knew she understood him better than anyone.

* * *

**A/n-** **Thanks so, so much for making it to the end guys, and for waiting so long! Also, if anyone has a Tumblr account, then get in touch with me on there! I have the same pen-name and I post snippets from upcoming chapters every so often. But thanks again for waiting everyone!**

**Note:** I just wanted to say that _"Paper Roses_" turned three-years-old on the 19th of February, so a** massive** thank-you to everyone who has stuck by me or joined me over the past couple of years; it means the world to me! XxxxxxX


	36. Competition

**Author's Note:** Hi guys! Sorry about the wait - I had the beginning of this chapter all written out lovely, but then I lost it. Anyways, I'm going away for a week later today and I didn't want to to have you all waiting yet another week for an update. I hope you guys enjoy!

* * *

_"Let me hide it inside your heart, let tomorrow come and take it all away."_

* * *

The little girl's eyes peeked out from beneath a heavy blonde fringe, her hair being tossed about by the wind. Seto knew the little blonde, but he also knew that her eyes appeared much brighter from beneath bangs of white and her smile wider too. An older brunette girl was beside the blonde in the next photograph, smiling beside her little cousin; he was only guessing that the girls were cousins. The dark-haired teenager had the same eyes as Kisara, clear dark blue ones that stared straight out of the picture at him. So that was what the poor girl had looked like.

"Nat was sixteen when she died … she was more of a big sister than a cousin."

Seto looked over his shoulder to see the same blue eyes looking up at him. There was no anger in her gaze as she saw the picture in his hand, instead Kisara moved to the end of the bed and sat crossed-legged. Wiping sleep from her eyes, the young woman indicated the photograph and fought a yawn.

"It was Christmas day and we decided to waste some time before dinner, so we got our horses and went for a hack around the woods at the edge of our vineyard. My colt was acting up, so Natalie made us swap because her mare was much quieter."

The young man had been around enough rich businessmen to know what the equestrian terms meant and he already sensed the sad end to the story as Kisara ran her fingers through her tangled hair. She took her time on one knot and stared into space as he sat there in silence, not wanting to break her train of thought. The young woman blinked lightly and looked up to meet his gaze.

"Long story short, Nat was thrown from my horse."

Running a finger over the picture, Seto studied the dark-haired teenager. He had searched her name on the internet last night and had turned up multiple news articles from nine years ago, each one filling in a bit more of the tragic tale.

"And you found her? That's why you said those things to Vivian …"

Kisara flashed a sheepish smile at that and nodded as her cheeks coloured.

"I should have known you speak Mandarin."

Seto hid a small smile of his own, one that weighed with a measure of guilt. She had been what, eleven when Natalie Ashbrook had died? And the thought of her being the one to find her cousin after the fall was something he couldn't get out of his head. Seto would be the first to admit he hadn't had the most conventional upbringing, but the only dead body he'd ever seen was the one from his dreams; the one he placed at the foot of the stone tablet time after time. That death was one he had learned to banish from his mind as of late, reasoning that it had been a different time and place but Koji's was one he couldn't deal with quite so easily; grieving had never been a forte of his.

"What did you do? I mean, when …"

She faltered at his question for a second, as though not quite sure of her answer, before shrugging her shoulders and fidgeting with her engagement ring.

"I tried to wake her first, but that didn't work so I sat on the ground beside her, hoping she was just unconscious. I apologised maybe a hundred times over. And then I just cried … a lot."

Looking up, Kisara was surprised by the lump in her throat and how it hurt to swallow it. It had been years since she had talked about Natalie like that; her last confidante had been Viv and even at that Vivian only knew the bare story of what had happened and nothing of the interlude between the fall and one of the grooms finding them in the forest well after dark. She stopped twirling the ring around her finger and looked back up with a light smile.

Seto shook his head and heaved a sigh. He placed the photographs back in their box, eying the blond man and Japanese woman that smiled up at him from one of the images.

"I'm sorry, Kisara."

Standing, the young man ran a hand through his hair as he spoke; the past few days had been an utter blur and he really needed to get everything back on track He had to stop putting-off that meeting with Pegasus, follow up on the envelope Roland had left in his office and try to salvage the new tournament, though a certain someone had already ensured his months of preparation didn't go to waste. Standing from the chair, Seto spoke as his thoughts lined up obediently and formed into a mental list.

"I just have to sort things out, one hurdle at a time."

"I was always good at hurdles in school."

Kisara nodded her head and smiled; they had gotten through the time-limit on their engagement and a near-showdown with Zigfried. She was sure there were a lot more hurdles on the horizon, but the young woman also knew only one race could be run at a time.

* * *

Téa sighed as she shut the door and turned the sign to the _closed_ side. It was already getting dark outside and she had only just gotten rid of the last customer. Walking back from the door, she tied her hair up into a ponytail and started the familiar routine of cleaning the small premises.

Today had been a whirlwind in the city with only two more days until the new opening day for Kaiba's tournament. The extra week of waiting had really put Domino's dueling population on tenterhooks. Grabbing the broom, Téa turned up the volume of the small television behind the counter and started sweeping the floor. The Domino news station was abuzz with the same headline as earlier in the day; Seto Kaiba had reappeared back in the public's eye via a press conference at KaibaCorp. With apologies about the postponed tournament, the CEO had then made the one announcement everyone had been waiting for; he would be dueling after all. This new tournament looked set to be the most star-studded yet with not only the King of Games, but Seto Kaiba and Pegasus amongst its ranks as well.

That was when business at the Muto gaming shop had really gone up a notch. For one reason or another, KaibaCorp had sanctioned the little shop along with Duke's store official agents of KaibaCorp merchandise, including the new Duel Disk model. The dancer supposed it benefited KaibaCorp in the long run as it reduced the people queuing at their outlet in the high-street, but it was also a boost to the Muto's income as duelists rarely just bought a Duel Disk alone, but rather purchased a couple of booster packs too.

The news report flicked back to a picture of Kisara and started discussing the lack of her at the conference. Abandoning the broom for a grubby dustpan, Téa shook her head; she honestly couldn't imagine Kisara facing down the sea of journalists that had been at KaibaCorp today. She hadn't seen the European in a few days, not since the elderly owner of the Kawaii zoos had died … come to think of it, she hadn't seen much of any of her friends for the past week. Mai was working all hours at a local bar, Tristan was probably elbow-deep in a car bonnet and Joey had a lot of coursework to do along with preparing for the new tournament. Even her own boyfriend was on the missing-list these days, with all of his attention pinned on his Duel Monsters deck. In between the never-ending rehearsals for Swan Lake and helping out at the game shop, Téa was horrified to admit she had almost forgotten about tomorrow. She really was lucky to have Yugi for a boyfriend; what other guy would have reserved a dinner at the top restaurant in Domino when his other half had all but overlooked their two-year anniversary together?

The two years had sailed by and the transition from friends to something much more refreshingly easy. The extra rehearsals today would ensure tomorrow would be ballet-free and reserved for a nice dinner and a quiet night with her boyfriend before the dueling tournament absconded with him.

Hearing a knock on the shop door, Téa heaved an annoyed sigh; she had been in the middle of a lovely daydream about the pleasant day she would have tomorrow. And besides, the shop would be open for business tomorrow with Yugi's grandpa behind the counter. So why did duelists insist on turning up last minute?

"Sorry but we're-"

The face looking in at her was a duelist, but the teary blue eyes weren't about to start scanning the shelves for Duel Monster cards. Half-running to the door, Téa pulled it open with all sorts of scenarios flashing through her mind.

"Rebecca, what happened?"

The blonde blinked a few times, trying to stop the rebellious tears from overflowing.

"I needed someone to talk to and I couldn't think of anyone else."

Nodding her head, Téa made sure to lock the shop door as she steered the younger girl over to a stool. It took a few seconds of silence and an inner wrestling match between anger and sadness before Rebecca sniffed and started explaining the happenings of the past week and their sad result.

* * *

No one ever saw this side of the tournament, the pen and paper architecture behind it all. Behind the world's fastest super-car was an engine that based itself purely on combustion power. Simple energy in an enclosed space. Behind the largest gaming tournament of recent times was the frustrating simplicity of a pen and countless scrapped sheets of printer-paper.

"But you'll still be short a person over here though …"

Kisara kept her eyes on the sheet of paper as she spoke, knowing she would probably start blushing if she did look up. Midnight had passed a while ago and they were still in the kitchen trying to fit a square into a circle before the tournament kicked off in the morning. Yesterday had been consumed with last-minute details, contacting all the duelists and making sure there would be no unexpected problems cropping up.

Seto ran a hand through his hair and forced out a sigh of utter frustration; how had he let this go unnoticed until now? Tomorrow would finally see months of planning and preparation put into action. The preliminary twelve duels would be decided at random first thing tomorrow at KaibaLand, and they needed four duels to take place afterwards followed by two each for the next three days and one each on the last two days of the first phase. Then the second round would begin with six duels over six days, followed by two semi-finals and the last duel afterwards.

The only problem was that three of his commissioners were tied up with other KaibaCorp business until the second day of the tournament, leaving only Mokuba, Roland and Isamu free to referee four duels. That was why the kitchen was a bit crowded at the moment with Roland and Isamu on one side of the table, Akari beside her boyfriend and Rin having been drafted in to try and free up one of the other commissioners.

"Are you sure the duels will overlap? Maybe we'll be lucky?"

Mokuba pocketed his phone as he spoke; he'd been so enthralled with the device for the past week that it was a wonder the teenager even knew what this late-night makeshift meeting was about. Isamu chose then to add his own thoughts to the dilemma.

"If they don't overlap, then someone could make it to the fourth duel through one of the shortcuts, sir."

Kisara had liked Isamu since his 'directing' of her to the ladies' restroom at the tournament launch and she found herself increasingly at ease around Roland's second-in-command; he was quiet and kept to himself, traits that were balanced out by Akari's hyperactivity. The maid had arrived with her boyfriend and had soon bored of all the planning in the kitchen. She had seen the pintsize wiping the countertop with a cloth once or twice, only to be sent a silent look by Isamu.

"I won't know if they'll overlap until the duelists are chosen tomorrow and even at that nothing's certain. If it's two amateurs we're screwed because they'll take all day to finish a duel and if it's two professionals then we're in the same boat."

Looking at the list of twenty four names in front of her, Kisara could feel her own patience getting a little thin; they'd been here for over two hours at this rate. There were six amateurs entered in the tournament and the best bet for the duels not to overlap would be for the random-selector to pair one of those with a professional and pray the less-experienced duelist lost in haste.

"What about Rebecca, sir? Ms. Hawkins knows the rules of Duel Monsters inside-out, couldn't she act as an extra commissioner for one day?"

Roland rubbed at his eyes as he spoke and placed his shades on the table; with three small children at home, tiredness was creeping up on the man but he wouldn't be seen to yawn in front of his employer.

"Uh, I wouldn't ask her. She's got a lot on her plate right now."

Mokuba's rushed answer drew a look from his brother, but it was Kisara to put Roland's plan to one side.

"What if she's drawn in one of the duels tomorrow?"

The young woman felt a light blush colouring her cheeks as Seto stood behind her chair and looked over the list of duelists too, probably trying to work out the odds of Rebecca being selected. His hand rested on her shoulder as he leaned closer before giving up on the list.

"Shit … any luck Rin?"

The portly woman shook her head at her boss before stabbing another number into her phone and letting loose at whoever had the misfortune of answering. She had been trying to shift around a few things to free up someone, all to no avail so far though. Things at KaibaCorp were planned tightly over the next couple of days and the secretary was getting nowhere with her attempts.

Kisara felt sorry for Seto as she scanned the sheets of paper strewn across the kitchen table; this tournament seemed to be one problem after another and she had guilt nagging at her for noticing the newest hitch. She had asked Seto about the layout of the competition and how he would work four duels with three commissioners only to be met with a blank look. The young woman blinked as the list of duelists was balled up and thrown towards the rubbish bin. Seto rolled his eyes as the ball bounced off the rim of the bin; even that much refused to go right for him.

"Forget about it and go home, it's an early start tomorrow."

"But sir, what-"

"We'll wing it somehow, Roland. If this is all that goes wrong tomorrow then that's fine."

Roland nodded his head with a slight smile before grabbing his shades and offering a light bow. Akari and Isamu followed suit and made for the swinging door out into the foyer, but it was as Rin made her exit that Seto walked across the room and picked up the balled paper. He leaned back against the counter and waited for Mokuba to flash a smile and make for the door.

"I'm no idiot, what happened?"

The teen's confused look fooled Kisara as she placed the milk back in the fridge and rounded the mugs up into the sink behind Seto. The older Kaiba moved a few steps to one side to leave the sink free before looking back to Mokuba.

"You've been glued to that phone all week, I haven't seen Rebecca in days and suddenly she has a lot on her plate. What gives?"

It was only as Seto said it that Kisara noticed how little she had seen of Rebecca lately; normally the girl would be seen in the mansion every couple of days. The last she had seen of her had been her late entry to Koji's funeral service. A strained silence filled the room, the same one that had settled when Mokuba insisted his brother participate in the tournament. The young woman looked between the brothers, Seto toying with the balled-up paper as he returned Mokuba's stare. Coughing lightly, Kisara made for the door with a small smile; she wasn't quite sure whether this was a private matter purely for the males. The line between her business and theirs was one she was finding harder and harder to distinguish.

"I'll go-"

"No Kisara, you don't have to. Bec's your friend so this sorta concerns you too."

Mokuba's hand caught the kitchen door as it swung outwards, preventing her from exiting out into the foyer. Her mind flashed back to when she had learned of the time-limit and how Seto had barred her exit that day. She was finding out there were quite a few parallels between the brothers lately.

"Rebecca and I broke up."

Seto blinked the same time that Kisara turned away from the door; he'd been expecting the couple had had a fight or something along those lines, but definitely not for the youngsters to break up. He wasn't the only one shocked though as Kisara asked her question the same time that he spoke.

"What?"

"When?"

The teen looked between his brother and Kisara, shrugging before sighing.

"Officially last night but we haven't been on good terms since before Koji's funeral."

Mokuba watched his older brother as he spoke; he was no more an idiot than Seto and knew how much he had been affected by the old man's death. Kisara recalled how late Rebecca had arrived at the funeral and how the American had chosen the seat beside her, not even greeting Mokuba at the time. She couldn't quite comprehend it; surely the two had just had a tiff or something simple like that? There was no way they _couldn't_ be together.

"I wasn't going to say anything 'cause you have enough to deal with, bro."

"Can't you two just patch things up?"

Seto had stopped toying with the paper ball. His mind flitted over the prospect of Mokuba refereeing one of Rebecca's duels in the tournament; that wouldn't work out if the two were bickering. It seemed a bit illogical in his opinion - over eighteen months thrown away because of a fight? But Mokuba was shaking his head with guilt in his eyes. His explanation for the break-up was one nobody had seen coming, something that left both Seto and Kisara in a stunned silence and at a loss for words. Even after the teenager finally went to bed and they quietly retired to Seto's bedroom, neither of the couple approached the elephant in the room.

She knew it was late and that she had to be up in a mere couple of hours. There was to be an information meeting at KaibaLand before the official opening of the tournament and Seto had asked her to go with him; something about ID tags. But try as she might Kisara just couldn't switch off. Every time she turned over and tried to settle, her mind would flash back to Rebecca and the turmoil the girl must be in. She had been cheated on before and knew the hurt it caused; the wondering why he would look elsewhere, what the other girl could offer that she couldn't. The first boy to cheat on her had been her first long-term boyfriend; three months had felt like a lifetime when she was seventeen. She had been a virgin and the relationship had been too platonic for his liking. Thinking back now Kisara was glad she hadn't wasted too much time on him; her next boyfriend had been a lot more understanding and patient. But neither of them could compare to owner of the arm draped over her hip.

The young woman blinked into the darkness; but what if Seto had done the same as Mokuba? Putting herself in the blonde's shoes was a different matter. Cheating was bad enough, but to kiss her best friend was a different level of hurt … and then try to keep it a secret. No, Kisara definitely didn't blame Rebecca for calling time on the relationship and part of her wondered what had possessed Mokuba.

The hand on her hip moved lightly and she felt her stomach drop at the thought of being in Rebecca's position; she honestly couldn't see herself forgiving Seto if he cheated. Mokuba had kissed Suzu at their school's formal and had tried to keep Rebecca in the dark about it. It had been Rie's younger sister to tell Rebecca in the end. She tried to imagine what it would feel like to discover Seto had kissed Vivian, to be told about it by a girl she disliked, by Rie of all people. But she couldn't, her brain wouldn't let the episode play out. The betrayal would hurt too much. Kisara knew their scenario wasn't exactly ideal, being in an arranged marriage and whatnot, but she did like to think they had a trust between them.

"What's bothering you?"

His hand moved again, more meaningful this time and Kisara turned around to see Seto as awake as she was. She didn't know where it came from or why the lump formed in her throat just then, but the memory of her first boyfriend rushed back and her eyes stung with tears. The thought of him not finding her good enough was frightening.

"Hey …"

He didn't ask why she was upset or question her confusing emotions, he just drew closer and held her against him. And there was that intangible knack of his for making everything seem better. And somewhere between sniffing and swallowing the lump in her throat, Kisara found her voice.

"Promise you'll never cheat on me with Vivian?"

She was expecting him to chuckle and agree, to brush her silly enquiry under the proverbial carpet, but he didn't. Seto pulled away slightly and she looked up to meet his gaze. Fingers brushed her hair out of her eyes and framed her cheek as he spoke.

"Kisara, I'll never cheat on you with anyone. Promise."

She knew he'd never do such a thing but she felt all the more certain for hearing those words. His eyes searched hers for a few seconds, striving to get the message across and Kisara nodded with a small smile. The hand framing her cheek moved swiftly down to the small of her back and pulled her into a slow kiss, a kiss that would have heralded something more amorous had sleep not finally arrived.

* * *

Kisara kept her head low as the KaibaCorp security woman in font of her slowed down to speak into her earwig. People milled around in every direction, all trying to get a good vantage point for the fourth duel of the new tournament. Had it not been for the security woman, Kisara would have never found her way from the third duel to this one; KaibaLand really was huge.

"So, who's up next?"

Vivian caught her shoe on a stone and took a few hurried steps forward to regain her balance. Eying her friend, Kisara shook her head with a grin; maybe high-heels weren't the best choice of footwear for today, especially as they were walking from one duel to another. She took a breath to answer Viv's question, but the Chinese woman had already moved her attention onto something else.

"How come you get one of these and I don't?"

She was asking about the ID card around her neck. The laminated card fluttered in the breeze and spun on the end of its strap as Vivian tried to grab it. Getting to the badge before her, Kisara shook her head and tutted.

"Nu-uh, you'll see what it's for eventually."

"You were never this secretive before you joined the Kaiba-clique …"

"You're just sore because that kid called you old."

The European laughed as her friend nodded her head. Vivian had been drawn in the third duel of the day, facing off against one of the six amateurs that had qualified from the street-duels. The Domino-native had been a girl of about eighteen and had constantly referred to Vivian as an old lady, a trash-talk insult that Viv had taken to heart. And if there was one thing Vivian Wong despised, besides cheap taste, it was being called old. Her Dragon Lady had gotten the point across with a direct hit to the teenager's life points.

Glancing up at a large screen to the right of a towering rollercoaster, Kisara tried to keep a tab on the fast-moving competition. The first duel of the morning had been between a monkey-man of some sort and another of the amateurs. The newcomer had put up a good fight and ultimately knocked Abe out of the competition. Duel number two of the day had been between yet one more amateur and Dr. Richard Goat, with the amateur yet again making it through to round two of the tournament, if only by the skin of his teeth. The results of the third duel were just flashing up onto the screen, with Vivian's picture enlarging to show her win over the teenager.

Things seemed to be going well so far today; all of the duels had commenced without a hitch and they'd even been lucky enough to avoid any overlap and Roland was currently making his way to the sideline of the fourth duel to oversee it - the plan of winging it had worked out quite well after all.

Things this morning had started miles behind schedule; she had woken to the sound of Mokuba pounding on the door, shouting that they had slept it out. Everything after that had been accomplished at record speed. Between showering, getting dressed and wolfing down some class of breakfast, they had made it to KaibaLand just in time for the information meeting and had played catch-up for a while, getting filled-in by Roland and Rin. Afterwards it had been a straight run into the official opening of the tournament, which garnered lots of fireworks, holographs and a low-key speech by KaibaCorp's owner.

"Anyways, who's dueling next?"

Vivian was being extra-careful as she picked her way along the path and linked arms with her friend. All of the round one duels had been drawn this morning after the information meeting and, try as she might, Kisara couldn't recall who had been selected for the fourth and last duel of the day and shrugged her shoulders as they drew up to the edge of designated dueling area.

"I don't know actually … I know that there's no amateur in it though, so it could stretch a while."

"What about Kaiba-poo, who did he get drawn against?"

"An amateur from France."

Vivian let loose an amused giggle as Roland inspected the hologram sealers.

"You gonna be torn then? Cheer for one's country or prince charming?"

All it took was a sideways glance for Vivian to start giggling again; she was on a high from advancing in the tournament. A few more people filled in around them as the starting time for the last duel drew closer. Looking around the crowd showed numerous KaibaCorp security staff mingling among the crowd, some in suits and others only distinguishable by their earwigs. A wave from across the clear duel-field caught her attention and Kisara smiled in answer to Mai's gesture. Téa and Serenity stood beside the blonde with Yugi and Joey in the background; it was nice to see so many familiar faces.

"I'm gonna go annoy someone, see you in a while chick!"

And before Kisara could even protest, Viv was already half-way over to Mai and Téa. She shook her head with a laugh as Vivian didn't even bother to skirt around the dueling area and instead cheekily dashed across in front of Roland.

"Tell your friend to go _around _the field next time."

A smile immediately sprang at the sound of his voice and Kisara felt a flutter in her stomach as arms snaked around her waist; she hadn't seen him since before the first duel this morning.

"I'll tell her, but I can't guarantee she'll listen."

Seto smiled at her answer; Vivian Wong in a nutshell as far as he was concerned. He'd been kept busy in the control room all day, monitoring their databanks throughout the past three duels and setting up hidden safety nets amongst the main interface's base code. If anyone tried anything during this tournament then they would surely regret it and he would be the person to ensure such a thing. With the new protection systems up and running and his technical staff briefed to within an inch of their lives, Seto finally let himself think about the tournament; why had he agreed to duel?

"Have you seen Rebecca today?"

Kisara asked the question quietly, all too aware of how easy it was for someone to eavesdrop in a crowd of this magnitude. She had seen the teen fleetingly at the duelist roll-call earlier in the day, but that had been her one and only glimpse. Seto shook his head as Paul McGregor, a British professional duelist, took his place at the left end of the dueling field.

"No, she's not dueling until day four. The publicity team think some of the media will be leading with it tomorrow morning, if not then definitely the day after."

"So she'll have that to deal with on top of a duel?"

"I'm keeping things as quiet as I can, Kisara."

A couple of months ago Kisara wouldn't have had a notion what such a conversation pertained to, but her time living in Japan had been an eye-opener. She had no doubt the papers and glossy magazines would run with the story of Rebecca being jilted for her own friend and it didn't matter how quiet they tried to keep the happenings - someone would leak to the press whether that be a fellow student at school or even a teacher; the papers would pay big money for any kind of news relating to a Kaiba.

"I know, I just …"

She sighed heavily; she just felt so sorry for Rebecca. His arms tightened just a little around her and Kisara leaned back against Seto as they waited for the duel to commence; the other duelist appeared to be in no rush whatsoever as the Sherlock Holmes look-a-like shuffled his deck yet again.

"C'mon, you can run faster than that!"

Kisara barely heard the shout before something short barrelled into her right side at full speed. She would have fallen to the ground had it not been for Seto keeping her rooted to the spot. Unfortunately the same couldn't be said for the small child that had rammed into her as he landed heavily on his rear. Dark brown eyes looked up from beneath a shock of the same coloured hair.

"Ooops, sorry lady … I wasn't looking."

She smiled lightly, fighting back a small laugh at being called lady by such a young child; was this how Viv felt when the teenager had called her old? She held out a hand to the boy, only about seven or eight, and pulled him to his feet.

"It's fine, are you hurt?"

"Nah, I'm go-"

The boy trailed off as he took notice of who the adults were for the first time. He'd seen the man on television countless times and the woman had become a regular face around Domino lately. Instead of turning on the spot and disappearing back into the crowd, the reckless youngster took a step closer to inspect the tall man, smiling widely when the blue eyes looked down at him.

"Hey Mr. Kaiba, are you really gonna duel tomorrow?"

Kisara bit her tongue at the boy's brashness; most Japanese children would offer a stiff bow and run off in the other direction, but not this one. Even Seto seemed bemused by the human battering ram as he nodded his head.

"Tomorrow morning, against one of the amateurs."

"Well I hope you beat whoever it is, I can't wait to see you and Yugi in the final!"

Seto decided he liked the boy; he knew exactly who to put in the final without any interference from Wheeler or Pegasus. Laughing quietly, Kisara brushed a few fly-away strands behind her ear and bent down to the kid's level, seeing a deck holder strapped to his waist.

"What's your name?"

Jabbing a proud thumb towards his heart, the child puffed out his small chest and beamed a huge smile back at her.

"Jaden Yuki, and I'm gonna be the next King of Games!"

Seto let a chuckle escape at that and nodded his head; the little guy couldn't be any worse than who they were currently waiting for. Fishing around in his pocket, he found exactly what he was looking for and handed the small card to the boy.

"Here Jaden, give this to your parents and you'll have good seats for the final."

The brown eyes widened as Jaden's smile stretched all the more. Numerous rushed bows followed closely on one another as the child turned and started back through the crowd.

"Thanks so much! Hey guys, look!"

And he was off running again, shouting to his friends of what had just happened; seats for the final duel were like gold-dust without the right connections such as a fiancé who ran the tournament. Anyone outside of duelists' friends and family or the rich and high-flying would have to watch on large screens all around KaibaLand or on the television.

"Awww, that was nice of you."

Kisara straightened back up and smiled at Seto. Roland was reciting the rudimentary rules of Duel Monsters in the background, the second duelist having arrived more than fashionably late and instead bordering on forfeiting the duel altogether. Seto shrugged and turned back towards the duel.

"I like that kid; he knows exactly who'll be in the final."

Kisara laughed at Seto's smug smirk; for one who hadn't wanted to duel, he was awfully sure of making it through to the end of the tournament. Then again, he was the world's number two only to Yugi. Letting herself be steered closer to the dueling-field, Kisara thought about how much it must annoy him to be second-best. She wasn't overly competitive, but she would be first to admit her piano-skills were top class. And for someone to be declared technically better than her would trigger a spate of constant practice until she could out-play that person.

But what if every time she got better, they were still a couple of notes ahead of her?

"Stop being a worrywart."

A light kiss landed on her cheek and the arms were back around her. Roland lowered his hand and blew a whistle. Cards were drawn, monsters summoned and life points assaulted. Seto explained the things she didn't quite follow, a special-effect monster here and a new magic card there. The two duelists held even at a stagnant stalemate for a good fifteen minutes before a Monster Reborn brought back a particularly potent monster. With a few more magic cards up his sleeves than McGregor, it was the yellow-coated Totani Ialos to emerge the eventual victor of the duel.

* * *

She was the one to engage that night.

Sitting on his bed in little more than a camisole top, Kisara let her mind wander back over the past week; she had done the best she could and there had been a light at the end of the dark tunnel. It might have been tough-going early on but perseverance had put them back on the right track and she'd seen a new facet to the man she was going to marry. A side to him that wasn't open to the public like how the persona of the fearless billionaire was. He was that, and he was the world's second greatest duelist, he was the competitive guy who asked her to teach him piano just because it looked easy. He was also the man who threatened with a low voice and had a temper that nearly got him into a fist-fight in the middle of a hospital ward. But he could be hurt too; things got through the chink in his armour reserved for private life. That said, it took quite a lot for something to find that chink. But when it did get through to him it hurt a lot.

Tomorrow morning would see Seto Kaiba, Yugi's forever-rival, standing across from some little-known amateur duelist and he would flash his arrogant smile and let the amateur think he had a chance of advancing through the tournament. The same chance as a snowball in hell. But it wasn't morning just yet and Kisara pulled the elastic tie from her hair, letting the tresses tickle down her back as he watched her with a sideways glance; he probably thought she'd start tearing up again.

An unexpected kiss and her light hand trailing down over his torso did little to faze Seto. He breathed in and studied her for a heartbeat before leaning forward to return the kiss. Her hand wandered lower and his breath hitched; a week with little to no contact had been too long. Heavy breathing mixed with fervent kisses as they searched each other, trying to find that just-right spot where a light caress of the tongue could elicit a gasp or more. On her clavicle, the area becoming more exposed as she arched back. His neck, just beneath the left ear.

When he did finally enter her, after a series of her nails drawing across shoulders and his teeth nipping here and there, neither had to wait long before release hit them and kept the two in its grip for a long time. He stared down at the dark blue eyes and struggled for air, his heart yelling at him for pushing her aside so easily before. And she held the cobalt stare and leaned upwards for a long kiss, one that strained to convey what she felt in her racing chest. That she didn't care what the rest of the world saw so long as her Seto never changed. That he could never be her second-best.

* * *

**A/n- I hope you guys liked this chapter! And for people not quite sure about the Mokuba-Rebecca thing, it will be further explained in the next chapter, promise! Oh, and just to say that all of the professional duelists mentioned in this chapter were featured in the KC Grand Pix arc of the anime! Thanks for reading! XxxxxxX**


	37. Tension

**Author's Note:** Hi everyone! Sorry for the wait in updating but I'm currently back in college and trying to keep my head down a bit. That said, don't worry because I'm still scribbling notes down in he back of my folders. Also, the next update mightn't be up for a few weeks as I'm turning 21 this month with a party that I'm supposed to organise. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy the chapter! As always, expect cuts and chops to it in the coming days! XxxxxX

* * *

"_You've been the only thing that's right in all I've done._"

* * *

Once or twice the amateur thought he could grab onto a small chance and claw his way back into the competition. But the youngster never quite got a glimpse of that tiny chance. Marcus Laurent had flown from Northern France to Domino two weeks ago and the young man had made it further than most other amateurs, advancing from the street-duels and into the professional tier of the tournament, earning himself a handsome sliver of prize money.

But that was where his luck ran out. The water-themed deck didn't last very long against Seto's dragons. Lustre Dragon #2 put a definite end to the meagre match-up with a direct hit to the boy's life points. His counter went down to zero and Seto's stayed up at over three thousand as the large crowd cheered and clapped. The people of Domino didn't think twice about who to cheer for and neither did Kisara as she caught herself clapping her hands and just short of jumping up and down.

Vivian had implied she would feel some sort of confliction over the duel, but the young woman felt nothing of the sort as Seto's eyes found her in the crowd and his smirk lifted just enough for her to notice. He had won the duel, just as he said he would and that was all that mattered.

The next duel of the day played out with no problem and the tournament wound down its second day in the global spotlight.

Conflict was something that was present in everyone's life, whether it be eating that chocolate bar when a diet is in order or bypassing someone you could help, each side pulls in a different direction. She had felt different degrees of confliction in her life before; go to Italy for the winter or stay put in the chateau? And then there had been the indecision on whether to return to France or stay with Vivian in China, a regret Kisara still held in her chest. A dull pull that resounded almost as much as the bum note that sounded from the piano the day after Seto's duel.

One bum note that echoed off the walls of the upstairs foyer and bounced across the first-floor landing. It was unusual to hear the piano from such a distance; normally she was the one playing the instrument and Kisara found her curiosity getting the better of her and crossed over to the other side of the mansion. Another flat line of low notes thrummed along to her footsteps as her brain offered up suggestions on who was responsible for the tuneless rhythm. Maybe it was one of the maids? It definitely wasn't Seto - he was keeping an eye on things at KaibaLand all day.

Black hair and violet eyes. Of all the people she had expected to see, the teenager definitely wasn't one of the options. He pressed down on the same key again and again, creating the monotonous noise that hid the sound of her footsteps.

"Mokuba?"

The sound stopped dead, Mokuba looking up at his name and flashing a guilty smile as he recalled his hand from the piano.

"Sorry … guess I'll stick to strumming my guitar."

Though he smiled and said it in a joking manner, Kisara furrowed her eyebrows as she stood beside the piano and looked down at him; the smiley teen just didn't seem himself and he had never ventured near the piano before. He flashed another smile and stood from the leather stool, walking away from the now-silent piano.

"Why did you do it to her, Mokuba?"

Kisara crossed her arms over her chest as she asked the question everyone in Domino wanted an answer to. For the last couple of days there had been a tension in the mansion, an elephant of sorts in every room - it was a topic even the maids refused to poke at. She knew what was bothering Seto's brother but Kisara just hadn't thought she'd be the one to approach the matter; her mouth had bypassed her brain.

"Sorry, it's not my pla-"

"I screwed up, didn't I?"

A small blush coloured her cheeks as Mokuba stopped walking and looked back to her, his face more sombre than she'd ever seen it. Kisara nodded her head slightly; he had screwed up, but that wasn't what she had asked. Moving the stool back into place, she lowered the cover down over the ivory keys.

"I didn't mean to hurt Bec, you know …"

Kisara glanced up at that and looked Mokuba head-on. Kissing her best friend and hiding it from Rebecca was an awful silly way of not hurting her.

"I know, I know. It's just … I've been hanging out with Suzu a lot. She doesn't have many friends and her parents are going through a divorce and …"

Mokuba shrugged his shoulders and heaved a heavy sigh.

"I just thought I could make her feel better."

In that instant Kisara felt her resolve disappear and uncrossed her arms; Seto had a knack for making things better. But he could and it didn't hurt anyone else in the process, Mokuba on the other hand had helped Suzu at the expense of Rebecca.

"And now I've ruined their friendship and Bec won't even answer the phone when I call."

"You hurt her, Mokuba. It hurts to get cheated on …"

When Mokuba lifted his head to look at her, Kisara quickly averted her eyes to the window; she hadn't even told Seto about her old boyfriend yet, that he had decided to look elsewhere. Thankfully Mokuba didn't ask anything and instead ran a hand through his hair and scuffed his toe on the ground, not knowing what to say.

"So what happens now? Are you and Suzu getting together?"

The teenager shrugged his shoulders and nodded his head lightly.

"I think so, I mean I like her a lot and I don't want to have ruined her friendship with Bec for no reason …"

And there was another conflict. Kisara was nodding her head at Mokuba's answer and yet her heart was screaming at him to go back in time and undo what he had done, that he belonged with Rebecca. But it wasn't her place to say; it was Mokuba's life and Suzu was a very nice girl … she just wasn't Rebecca. She wasn't the blonde that had brought Kai to the mansion or the smiley kid who had given her countless crash courses on how to be with a Kaiba; the first friend she had made in Japan.

* * *

The crowd in KaibaLand just seemed to swell a bit more with each day of the tournament that passed. Elbowing past another spectator, Kisara briefly wondered if Domino was empty today or if even more dueling enthusiasts had descended on the city. There were so many people in the amusement park that it seemed hard to imagine even more watching duels on street-screens. Stopping short, she let a couple of kids race past but didn't bank on someone else walking into her from behind.

Catching her balance and already in a bad mood, Kisara turned to see who the culprit was; it wasn't that hard to stop walking when the person in front of you did.

"You may take that face off you, Ashbrook, _you're_ the one who stopped walking!"

Whatever anger she had felt turned into giggles as Vivian wagged a finger her way and held her nose with her other hand. Only when she was sure she wasn't bleeding did the duelist sniff and fix her friend with a blaming glare.

"I've been calling your number since the last duel, what's up with that?"

Pulling her phone out of her pocket, Kisara cringed inwardly as she registered a few missed calls and text messages; having the device on silent the whole time might work when officials were at the mansion, but it was no good for registering calls.

"Sorry Viv, my head's somewhere else today."

"I'll say, what were you thinking with that outfit?"

Looking herself up and down, Kisara placed her hands on her hips and fixed Vivian with a glare of her own; her ensemble or jeans, sneakers and jacket was quite adequate given the winter temperatures of Japan and at the moment the young woman was regretting not bringing a scarf with her to defend against the cold creeping at her neck.

"Hey, it's cold and these clothes are warm; what's wrong with them?"

"I didn't say there was anything _wrong_ with them, it's just you're gonna have a lot of attention on you as Kaiba-poo goes on in the tournament."

"Attention from who?"

Shoving her hands into her pockets, Kisara began walking again. The humour she was in today, she really couldn't give a flying care on who wanted to know what about her; it got a little old after a while.

"Uh, the fashion magazines of course. You don't see footballers wives wearing hoodies and scruffy trainers do you?"

"My trainers are not scruffy!"

"That's not the point chick, look at the last tournament; anyone attending the final in the reserved area had to dress up to the nines, not dress like a little teenager-"

"Oh alright, Vivian, I get the message."

Even as she said it, Kisara could hear the bite in her words and flashed her friend an apologising look as she shrugged her shoulders; she was just very easy to annoy lately. Mokuba had had Suzu at the mansion last night and she had tried her best to make the girl feel welcome while hiding her own blushing. Which was more than could be said for her fiancé; tactful Seto had decided to stay in his study all night, only reappearing after Suzu had gone home and she had gone to bed, trying his luck with a kiss.

"I'll have my head back when you're finished biting it off, thank you very much! What's your problem, Kisara?"

She wished she had an answer for Vivian as the older woman stood in front of her and stopped her walking forward, but Kisara had no proper reason to be in such a bad mood; Seto was just being himself and working a lot and Mokuba would have to deal with the mess he made. And with another pained pang from her abdomen, Kisara groaned and sighed as she shook her head.

"What? No bed-action for a few days?"

Blushing at Viv's question, the young woman shook her head and stepped around her friend; she was not answering that query. But she didn't need to; over a year of living together had given Vivian the answer and the older woman hid a sly smile as she teetered along in her high-heels.

"Or maybe you can't have any, is it? A whole five days, huh? Well, I hope Kaiba-poo knows how bad your Princess Mental Syndrome can get!"

Despite feeling like utter crap, Kisara couldn't stop a small smile from spreading as Vivian wrestled her into some form of hug and used her old codewords for the worst week of the month. Vivian might know how to deal with her bad mood, but Kisara had no doubt she had blind-sided Seto last night when he had finally retired from his study and kissed her - she had decidedly ruined the moment by yawning and turning over in his bed. It was awkward; how was she supposed to tell him sex wasn't going to happen for another couple of days without conversation turning into a mumbling blush? God, she felt like a child again, giggling about the reproductive system instead of an adult in a mature relationship. At least with her last boyfriend he had worked nightshifts and luck would have it that his nights off never coincided with her periods, but she had been living in the mansion a few months now and this was the first one since they had started sleeping together.

"Come on, to the next duel chick. What happened in the last one? I was kinda too busy trying to ring a certain someone to pay enough attention."

"Leon von Schroeder lost against Mai … for someone who wasn't paying attention, you were shouting for Mai loud enough."

Kisara smiled lightly as she flicked through her text messages; though she hadn't noticed Viv at Leon's duel, she had definitely heard her voice across the dueling field. Poor Leon had put up a good fight, but Mai was relentless when she got her Harpie Ladies out. At least Zigfried's brother had taken defeat in his stride and congratulated Mai as soon as the match was over. Seeing a text from Seto, Kisara looked up at one of the many signs dotted around KaibaLand; which way to the monitoring-room?

"Nu-uh, you are not going home without telling me who's dueling next … never thought I'd see the day when _you_ of all people have to keep me clued into a tournament."

Vivian shook her head as she read the text message over her friend's shoulder. In the time they had spent living together, she had always been the one with small regional dueling tournaments on the television, forcing the European to watch them instead of that god-awful football thingy. Vivian knew she was out of practice at keeping a tab on things in KaibaLand, but it wasn't her fault - Kaiba shouldn't post such good-looking security staff to distract her; she knew he was doing it on purpose.

Stopping short as she nearly waltzed into Kisara again, Vivian just about avoided another collision with her friend and took a breath to argue it wasn't her fault, but she didn't; they had just arrived at the border of the next dueling field and people jostled all around them, with Kisara rooted to the spot and looking at her phone.

"What, lover-boy missing you already?"

She had seen the text and had more or less reasoned Kisara would be finding her way to Kaiba next and she didn't blame her; if she had him on her arm he'd never have a second of peace. But when she glanced back down over Kisara's shoulder it wasn't a text that was onscreen, it was a small chart of the four duelists participating in the two match-ups today. Realising the problem, Vivian placed a hand on the other girl's arm and began steering her away from the field in a hurry.

"Come on, we don't have to stay. I can watch the duel on television-"

"Leaving so soon? I would hope you could stay for the duel surely."

Not even trying to hid the cringe on her face, Vivian registered the accented voice and stopped walking as the tall figure stood in their way. The last time she'd seen Ziggy he had been hopefully close to being punched by Kaiba, a bout she would pay very good money to see in future.

"We're going."

"You can go if you like _Frau_ Wong, but won't you stay and watch, Kisara?"

Blushing and looking down at the ground, Kisara wanted nothing more than to disappear into one of the cracks in the cement. Her phone buzzed in her hand and Vivian gripped her arm a little tighter. As if her blush wasn't creeping in fast enough, another rabble of cramps made certain she was hot under the collar.

"S-sorry, Zigfried … I have somewhere t-to be."

She let Viv pull her forward and took a few hurried steps, trying to put as much distance between herself and Zigfried as possible.

"Please Kisara?"

Hearing the plead, Vivian sighed heavily as her friend stopped walking. Looking back at SchroederCorp's owner, Kisara wrestled with her conscience and covered her right wrist; the bruises were more or less gone. A few people were beginning to look now, none of them properly realizing her predicament. Zigfried kept his icy eyes trained on her as another text message sent her phone buzzing again; probably another text from Seto.

Kisara faltered for a second; she still liked Zigfried despite what had happened and a quick glance around the crowd showed he had no one to support him at the duel … but Seto had asked her to meet him in the monitoring-room. But if she stayed would it create another situation like the one in his office? Her cheeks burned all the brighter as Zigfried's opponent, Ethan Shark, arrived at the dueling field and attention focused back on the German - why was he talking to Seto Kaiba's fiancée and not ready to duel?

"Sorry to interrupt, but if I could just borrow Kisara … I'm terrible at getting lost in this place."

A tall frame stood behind her, but not the one she was used to. Toshi placed a light hand on her shoulder as he spoke in a friendly tone. The once-doctor shrugged with nonchalance as Zigfried regarded him with an annoyed glare and Vivian beamed a wide smile his way.

"I was hoping you could show me the way to the surveillance room if it's not too much trouble?"

"Oh, I know the way!"

Though Viv almost skipped away from the duel without even the foggiest notion where the monitoring centre was, Kisara was too busy scanning the growing crowd; Leon Von Schroeder had just appeared by the sidelines on the other side of the dueling field and waved to his brother, helping her to make her mind up. Gripping her mobile phone tighter, Kisara looked to her childhood friend.

"Sorry Zigfried, good luck with your duel."

With those words, proudly free of a stutter, she turned and let herself be lightly steered away from the growing group of spectators. It was only as the commissioner announced the start of the duel that Toshi reclaimed his hand and offered an explanation.

"You two ladies looked like you needed some help."

Kisara smiled her thanks at Seto's friend and let Vivian take the steering wheel of the conversation as another bout of cramps hit her; it was going to be a long couple of days to deal with. Not only did she now have to make an effort and dress properly or risk Vivian's wrath, she felt as though part of her should have stayed at the dueling field and supported Zigfried … but that would have meant ignoring Seto.

* * *

She shook her head again as more violence filled the small screen; bangs, shouts and bursts of fire flashed into focus before even the cameraperson abandoned the newscast and ran for cover. Tahrir Square was living up to its nickname of Martyr Square; this was the worst she had ever seen the homeland. The president would have to step down, there seemed no other choice in the matter … not unless more people had to die.

"_Allah_ …"

Ishizu tore her eyes away from the television as she heard the plea, followed by a few words of Arabic. Zakiya was only just coming up on twenty, sent to Domino from Cairo University to intern at the city's museum; the girl must have been worried for any family she had left at home and Ishizu could empathise with her there - surely Odion and Marik would lay low in the deserts of the country and steer clear of the cities.

Looking at her team of researchers and archaeologists, the young woman wondered if the Antiquities board had know something of the impending governmental collapse at home; they had seen it fit to send her out a few old colleagues, a couple of students and a few new faces all in the name of bettering Domino Museum's Egyptian exhibit. As the Secretary General of the council of Antiquities, Ishizu Ishtar was no fool and suspected relatives of hers dotted throughout the chain of command had expedited any paperwork to get the white sarcophagus out of the country along with her new group of colleagues.

She wouldn't have minded if it was purely old friends of hers or maybe a new researcher or two, but she hated having students sent over to her. She just seemed to lose all confidence in front of them and ended up putting distance between them and herself out of guilt. These people had to spend years of their lives and probably thousands of Egyptian pounds to get a qualification and work in a job they loved. She had been rushed through the study process, bolstered by Tombkeeper relations pulling as many strings as a marionette manipulator, and now she sat quite comfortably at the peak of her academic life aged just twenty-three.

One by one the newcomers filtered out of her office, most likely home to try and call family members. But she didn't bother; her brothers weren't idiots and they had enough work to do at the Valley of the Kings to keep them out of trouble.

"Do you need help with anything, Ms. Ishtar?"

Not realizing there was anyone left in the room, Ishizu switched off the television and turned to see one of the new students hovering at the door. She was trying to learn everyone's names as quickly as possible, but she still found herself glancing to the man's name badge fleetingly.

"No thank you, Ahmed, go home and call your family."

The young man smiled and nodded his head before taking his leave of the office. Looking around the once-spotless room, Ishizu heaved a sigh; her office had become the office of the entire Egyptian team now, at least until renovations in the museum finished up and the research labs would be opened up on the floor above them. The sooner the better in her opinion; she did not like people messing up her things.

Letting out an annoyed sigh, Ishizu sat down in her chair and groaned as she saw one of its small wheels sitting on her desk; it would have been nice to know who had done that. Picking up the letter she had received from her uncle, the Tombkeeper ran her gaze up and down it for the umpteenth time - even he had come up with no explanation for Kisara's spirit being alive and well in Kisara Ashbrook. The topic was now being spread through the network of Tombkeepers around Egypt, but Ishizu held out little faith for an answer as more and more trouble seemed to break out at home with every day that passed. Placing the letter in a desk drawer, under as many other things as she could, the curator turned her attention to the pile of files teetering on the very edge of her crowded desk; no time like the present to learn about her new comrades.

Nothing too pressing or interesting jumped out from the files; a repeat exam for Zakiya was still pending with results but the girl seemed to have a head screwed onto her shoulders, wanting to focus on the laboratory-side of archaeology. She was disappointed to read that the second of her three students was majoring in hieroglyphic studies; why was no one going for fieldwork? If there was one thing she loved more than showing off artefacts in museums, it was finding the actual things buried in sand, maybe even finding a name if she was lucky and connecting the object to an actual person that had once lived.

Ah! There was one smart person after all; the third student was doing a joint masters in fieldwork and translation. Ahmed Al Sabat, the boy she had just told to go home … Ishizu cringed as she read his transfer file; she was off to a fumbling start with the students in record-time. Ahmed had no family to call at home; his studying had been sponsored by one of the professors back in Cairo. Brown hair, brown eyes, a rugby player and studying for his final thesis with a smaller qualification in early dynastic pharaohs.

Tossing the file to one side, Ishizu grabbed her jacket and her keys; tomorrow was another day for putting her foot in it. Locking the office door behind her, she took a second to eye up the white sarcophagus. Of all the items she had seen in her life or brought to other countries, the coffin was her new favourite despite the much prettier lid being in storage. She had seen Kisara Ashbrook on the television today, during a recap of Seto Kaiba's duel yesterday morning. She missed dueling more than she thought she would. It had been a hobby she had learned as a child, surrounded by the tall stone tablets her family rediscovered every so often, and then it had evolved into a way to reach Marik when he had been furthest from her. But she had so much work to deal with these days, between Tombkeeper activities and her official job to keep tabs on …

At least the tournament was keeping the museum relatively empty; it gave her a few more days before the press came to take pictures of the new sarcophagus. And it also let her construct a few lies about the stone coffin, lies concerning an unknown queen and a lost dynasty in Egypt. A fabricated history she hoped would protect a normal girl from discovering a sorry life better left hidden in the sands of Egypt.

* * *

"So what are you gonna do bout Ziggy Stardust?"

Kisara sighed and shook her head at the question, pouring water into the mixing bowl in front of her.

"There's nothing to do, Viv, and his name is Zigfried."

"I say potato and you say _pomme de terre_, either way he's still awfully butt-hurt about you being with Kaiba."

Rolling a ball of dough between her hands, Kisara shot her friend a look and walked across the kitchen to the cooker. Zigfried was just having a hard time, that was all; he'd just broken up Rie and by all accounts the SchroederCorp branch wasn't exactly thriving in eastern Domino - it was a quite a bit from the central business district of the city and each morning the stock reports showed the shares decreasing in value just a little more.

"Here, crack an egg."

"Can't, I'm revising my deck."

"Vivian, you're not even dueling tomorrow, you're not dueling for another six days."

"Oh, alright then … I think I liked it better when you didn't watch Duel Monsters."

Kisara merely stuck her tongue out as her friend rolled her eyes and stood alongside the bubbling pot; she could be such a pain at times. Placing the round dumpling on a plate, she tore off another bunch of dough and started rolling it into another ball.

"What are those anyways?"

Vivian let another droplet of the egg fall into the boiling soup as she spoke, eyeing the little round things on the table.

"Dumplings."

"They don't look like any wontons I've ever seen …"

Adding another ball to the few already made, Kisara shook her head and put the now-empty mixing bowl into the sink. Leaning against the countertop, she took a breath as another bout of cramps decided to flare up; the sooner this week was over then the better.

"They aren't wonton dumplings, they're made from flour and water with some salt and pepper."

"And where did you learn to make them?"

"In Ireland, I stayed there for three or four months after China."

Vivian shrugged and turned back towards the egg-drop soup and stirred the chicken broth; her friend could never complain about seeing little of the world - the kid had more miles clocked up than most airliners.

"Where's Kaiba? I thought he told you he was going home."

"Got caught with some stuff at KaibaLand-"

Kisara stopped short as Kai perked her ears up and looked towards the open door of the kitchen; the swinging door was held open with a chair to leave out some heat - Vivian had decided opening a window would be too drastic a decision, possibly inviting creepy-crawlies from the woods on the mansion's grounds.

"Whoa, I knew I could smell something."

Kai took no time in bounding across the kitchen to jump up at Mokuba, the teenager ruffling her ears as he walked into the room. Kisara smiled and dropped the dumplings into the steaming pot.

"Vivian, this is Mokuba, Seto's younger brother. Mokuba, this is Vivian Wong; an old friend of mine."

"Pleased to meet you."

And Mokuba was unfaltering polite as he nodded his head and offered a light bow. The same couldn't be said for lovely Viv however as the once-model looked Mokuba up and down.

"Well, _you_ grew up …"

It was the first time she had actually seen Mokuba blush, the youngster scratching the back of his head as he decidedly moved attention back to whatever was bubbling away on the cooker; he had created enough girl-trouble for himself already.

"I didn't know you could cook, Kisara."

And before she could even think about an answer to that remark, Vivian was in there again with a sweet smile.

"I taught her everything she knows."

"The only thing you taught me was to cook or starve."

No smart answer this time, just an accepting nod of her friend's head. Vivian was talented at a lot of things ranging from kung fu to working a catwalk, but she was the only person Kisara knew who could actually burn water and be proud of it.

"Yeah and you fattened me up with your cupcakes, that's why I had to quit modelling."

Mokuba smiled as he sat up on the kitchen table and turned his head towards Kisara; it was like a tennis match of comments between the two girls. And it was nice to see Seto's fiancée so at ease as she spun to look her friend head-on with no blush or stammering.

"You quit modelling because you got bored of it!"

"True story … anyways, what do you mean she can cook? Don't tell me a fine young specimen like you can't cook?"

Mokuba blinked and banished his smile as Vivian, quick as lightning, decided she was bored with one conversation and wanted to strike up another. Realizing he had been asked a question, he blinked and shrugged his shoulder.

"I can cook some things but Seto's way better than I am."

Kisara shook her head and gave the soup another stir before switching the gas off.

"Quit interrogating him, Viv."

Seeing two more people at the doorway of the kitchen, she hid a grin as Vivian remained oblivious. As Kai got ready to race over to Seto, Kisara caught the husky's attention and pointed to the floor, telling the dog to stay put as Viv set off on another rant.

"No, don't ruin it for me! I'm trying to picture Kaiba-poo in an apron."

"Trust me, not as dashing as it might sound."

Kisara couldn't keep her giggles in as Vivian turned a bright red and spun towards the voice as Toshi spoke from his spot by the door. Looking back at her friend, Vivian shook her head with a narrowed glare; it would have been nice for a heads-up. Mokuba just about swallowed a laugh as he picked up the envelopes on the table and held them out to his brother.

"Here bro, mail for you and something from the DBA."

The groan from Seto told Kisara that any post from the Domino Business Association was never a good thing, a theory fully verified by Toshi's amused chuckle.

"I told you you'd get one too, and I'm guessing that's an invitation to Shuichi Yoshida's wedding."

"Who?"

Kisara was glad Mokuba had asked the question; the name was ringing absolutely no bells of recognition with her. Swiping a few loose strands of hair behind her ear, she instinctively leaned against Seto as he stood beside her, catching a glimpse of a kissy-face Vivian sent her way.

"He owns one of Japan's largest radio stations, and you can't back out of it, Seto."

"Oh, and why not?"

He had been halfway through opening the envelope as Toshi spoke, but stubbornness made Seto look to his friend; he did not like to be told what he could and couldn't do.

"Because I got roped in to going and I need someone to talk to."

Smiling at Toshi's answer, Kisara looked to the invitation in Seto's hand, eying the stylish little card with its golden trim and embossed lettering; she still couldn't place the man in her memory.

"Why did he invite you? It's not like you're friends or anything."

"Because that's what business people do, chick. This guy probably has a tie-in somewhere with KaibaCorp, right?"

Looking from Viv and back up to Seto, Kisara was surprised when he nodded his head; she didn't know Vivian was so tuned in to the workings of the corporate world.

"He advertises the tournament and gets first offer of an interview with KaibaCorp staff in return."

"I guess you two will have to invite people you don't really know when you get married too, huh?"

And the elephant that had been in the mansion for days now, marching around the subject of Rebecca and Suzu falling out, was suddenly swinging its trunk in another direction as Mokuba asked his question with a wide smile from his perch on the kitchen table. It was only as Kisara's cheeks flooded with a blush and Vivian sent her a look that Mokuba realised his mistake; no one had properly tried to touch that topic of conversation yet, not when things seemed to being going so well between Seto and Kisara. The maids had been chatting about it earlier in the day and he'd just let his mouth run without even thinking about it.

"Yeah, I suppose we will."

She stopped fidgeting with her engagement ring as he spoke. Looking up at Seto, Kisara felt the blush fade from her cheeks a little as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Oh, I hate being a third-wheel. See you at the tournament chick! Kaiba-poo, I'm stealing one of your drivers!"

"And I couldn't possibly leave a lady to make her own way home."

Watching Toshi take his leave a step behind Vivian Wong, Seto fought the urge to ask where this lady was but instead smirked as Mokuba relinquished his seat on the table and didn't even try to make up an excuse for vacating the kitchen, just shrugged and called Kai to follow him out into the foyer.

"You know, I think we're getting faster at clearing a room."

She smiled at that comment, true as it was, but Kisara twirled her engagement ring around her finger once more as she looked to Seto.

"You didn't have to say-"

"Don't even go there. I _did_ have to say it because it _is _going to happen and I want it to."

His hand found the pendant around her neck; the locket had been safe for weeks now. She looked back up to him as his hands framed either side of her neck; had he really just said that? She took a heartbeat to study his eyes and her mind flashed back to the night of Zigfried's company launch - she had thought he'd been drunk then. But he hadn't been and Seto was more than sober now. He had his armour down.

"I want it to happen too."

And that was when the smile broke out in full and Kisara nodded her head as she spoke, standing on her tippy-toes. Another round of cramps kicked off their fight in her abdomen, but they were competing with the butterflies of excitement taking flight in her stomach as she kissed the man she was going to marry.

"Ahem-ahem."

Her own guard sprang back into place at the noise, never mind Seto's. Vivian announced her return to the kitchen with an exaggerated cough, eyes searching the ceiling until she was sure the kissing was over. Even Kisara had to admit she was a bit annoyed with her friend this time as Seto glared at her.

"Problem Vivian, or is my house just too interesting to you?"

The Chinese woman placed a hand on her hip as she heard the bite in Kaiba's words; okay, she had interrupted but she hadn't done it on purpose. Taking up her teapot-stance, she fixed the CEO with her own death-eyes.

"Yes actually, your crappy limousine is broken. And might I suggest a do-not-interrupt sign next time you try to spice up your sex-"

"Vivian!"

Cutting her friend short, Kisara looked from Seto to Vivian; and she was meant to be the one with PMS? Seto did not like getting spied on and Vivian didn't like being reprimanded … and she didn't like being a mediator when even the looks they sent each other could kill. Looking to Viv, Kisara tried her best to assuage the atmosphere in the kitchen.

"Did the driver call a mechanic?"

"Said he can't get through."

"Tough luck, have fun walking."

She didn't even look away from Seto as she answered the question and his eyes stayed glued on her as he fired back a return. Forcing a smile, Vivian offered another solution to the problem at hand.

"Or I could just crash here for the night?"

"We're fixing the car."

As her fiancé headed for the front door, Kisara sent Vivian a look as she grabbed a black bomber jacket someone had left on the back of a chair, not entirely sure if it was Mokuba's or Seto's.

"What?"

"Nothing at all, come on."

Pushing her friend out the door ahead of her, Kisara shook her head; Seto and Vivian were too alike in her opinion. Steering Vivian out the front door, Kai bounded up to her and started running circles around both of them; the puppy excited to have so many people outside at the one time.

Toshi was lifting up the bonnet of the limo as Mokuba sat in the driver's seat and the actual driver, a man she had seen only a handful of times, stood to one side and let his employer have at the car - the mechanic obviously wanted to be fired if he wasn't answering his phone, despite being on an enviable wage and 24-hour-call. Snow was starting to fall again and Kisara was glad she had grabbed the jacket as she watched the makeshift pit-stop.

"Try and turn her over, Mokuba."

The teenager did as instructed and turned the key in the ignition, cringing as the engine tried to tick over but ended in a spluttered surrender. Seto mumbled something before rolling up the sleeves of his shirt and tinkering with something in the medusa that constituted the innards of the car. Mokuba tried to start the car again but met with the same result.

"Okay, I'll admit that's kinda hot …"

Blinking, Kisara looked to Vivian who had her eyes firmly on Seto as he inspected different bits and bobs under the bonnet of the limo. She was learning quite a lot tonight; evidently Mokuba could drive and Seto knew his way around a car. KaibaCorp's owner leaned further into the mechanics of the vehicle and Vivian gave a nod of appreciation.

"And how thoughtful of him to wear jeans … just look at that a-"

"Ahem, get your own."

Elbowing the other woman, Kisara raised her eyebrows as she spoke and felt a sense of possessiveness blow back into life.

"You tell her, Kisara."

Seto didn't even look up as he spoke and pulled at a small white plug thing, but she could tell he was grinning by the sound of his voice. Even Toshi was smiling as he kept a hand lightly holding up the bonnet in case the metal rod decided to give-way.

"Shush Kaiba, I'm admiring the view."

"Why thank you, Ms. Wong."

Vivian shrugged as Toshi theatrically brushed himself down, earning a laugh from Mokuba; she really didn't mind which company-owner she got to 'admire' for a while.

* * *

Seto had told her the problem with the limo, but it had sounded complicated and she had neither the memory nor the interest to try and recall the issue. All she knew was that it had taken almost an hour of tinkering with the car before Mokuba turned the key and the engine actually ran without coughing and giving up. When asked how he knew so much about cars, Seto merely shrugged and insisted that he liked to take things apart to see how they worked.

Walking back into the kitchen, Kisara figured that made sense; he did design the dueling platform and Duel Disk after all. Her fiancé was currently covered in black grease and oil stains from his arms to his ruined shirt and even a few runaway marks on his face. And, she was blaming Vivian for this one, but it was something Kisara found quite attractive as he tried to undo the small buttons of the dark shirt. Seto cursed under his breath as oil on his hands let the button slip away each time.

Not even thinking about it, Kisara reached out and undid the button, moving onto the next one as she could feel his eyes on her. Her hand fleetingly found the scar that ran along his collar bone. She moved onto the next button and found the start of his abdomen muscles and undoing the final two buttons showed the thin trail of hair disappearing beneath the waistband of his jeans.

"I meant it earlier. Pick a date, whatever you want."

Dirty hands caught hers as he spoke and Kisara looked up into those dark blue eyes. Despite the snow starting to fall outside again, the mansion was sweltering tonight with fires lit in the living room, some of the bedrooms and the library and she could feel the heat in the house at that moment in time as she nodded her head with a happy smile. His hands moved to her hips, stained hands resting on the black jacket she had pilfered and Kisara fisted her own hands in his shirt, letting Seto pull her closer as he dipped his head lower.

There was something hungry in that kiss and Kisara knew she returned it just as fervently as her hands gripped the ruined shirt tighter, getting stained as she tried to pull Seto closer to her. And though she wanted to continue, to explore where else the grease and oil might have gotten to, Kisara broke off the kiss as her lower abdomen played devil's advocate and she groaned as another set of cramps wracked her.

Seto stood a little closer and brushed her fringe out of her eyes as he smiled lightly.

"We can't tonight, can we?"

Kisara shook her head and let herself be pulled into a hug. When she spoke it was in a miserable voice that pined for the end of the week, for wine, for sex and for chocolate too.

"Nope … not for another few days."

"Oh well, there's chocolate in the fridge and I'm sure there has to be one more movie for you to talk through."

Seto shucked off his shirt and threw it in the laundry basket before wrapping his arms back around her. Kisara nodded her head in agreement and let herself be steered towards the living room. And when she did get to sleep that night it was with those arms around her again, protective and inviting.

But if there was one thing Kisara couldn't be protected from it was the nightmares that seemed to race through her subconscious every now again, raising their heads just as life seemed to throw itself back on-track.

And as she tossed and turned and tried to escape the clutches of the caterpillar-creature, something cut the chains again and they all fell from the platform. Just like every time before a hand caught her by the wrist and the jolt made her look up at her saviour. The face was always obscured but even through her cluttered mind, Kisara knew this nightmare was different. When the hand caught hers, she looked up to see vacant blue eyes staring down at her. They weren't in the dungeon anymore, but in the upturned KaibaCorp limo and the stranger was there, freeing her seatbelt to let her escape the crash. His face appeared hazily swimming around in her mind, familiar yet strange to her all at once. But he was smiling. As though he was happy she hadn't been harmed in the crash, happy that she hadn't fallen to the swirling shadows beneath the spiked platform. Those empty eyes seemed to fill with a spark of life when he smiled.

* * *

**A/n- I hope you all liked it! And like I said, sorry for the wait in updating; I had hand-drawn a plan of how the new tournament would unfold (not an easy feat with twenty-four duelists) and I lost it, so I had to do it again. Also, _"Frau"_ is the German equivalent of "Ms.". Thanks for reading everyone! XxxxxX**


	38. Hindrance

**Author's Note:** Hi everyone! Sorry for the wait, but it's assignment time in college. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy and thanks again to Renolvr for her beta-reading. As always, expect chops and changes and typo-fixes over the next few days. XxxxX

Also, on the advice of a reader, I've changed the rating of Paper Roses from T to M just to be safe as it does depict an adult relationship and adult themes. That said, I don't want people to think that the M rating translates as a smutty sex-centric fic because that's not the direction I'm taking. The change in rating is just to be safe with younger readers on the site and the recent clamp-down on lemon stories. :)

* * *

"_They just shake and try to break whatever peace I may find_."

* * *

"Are you sure there's one in here?"

Kisara rifled through a few more bits and bobs as she asked the question, blowing her fringe out of her eyes as a discarded scissors surfaced out of the gloom of the cluttered drawer, along with an earring she had no idea she had lost. Moving a few more things from one side of the drawer and back to the other, she shook her head; there was no envelope presenting itself to her.

"I thought there was … I could be wrong though."

Seto shrugged as he eyed the new letter in his hand: as if having a tournament to run wasn't enough trouble for today, he also had that meeting with the Domino Business Association too and they had just seen fit to shove another letter under his nose, the officials at KaibaCorp were shouting for his attention again _and_ they had to attend that wedding the day after tomorrow. Sighing, Seto ran a hand through his hair; the last of the first-tier duels was taking place today and it felt like the entire mansion was playing catch-up with the tournament. The whole security team had been drafted to KaibaLand today - Yugi was against the final amateur and it looked like the complete population of Domino had descended on KaibaLand to catch a glimpse of the King of Games even though the duel wasn't kicking off until after lunch-time.

"What're you looking for?"

"Wedding envelope for what's-his-face."

The CEO didn't even look up as he answered his brother; he was too busy trying to somehow map out the day ahead without forgetting about anyone. He could get Rin to handle things behind the scenes at KaibaLand during the morning and Roland could draw the second-tier duel match-ups this evening provided he wasn't caught up in crowd-control, but that still left the stupid meeting with the city's mayor and business owners and the annoying officials. He could ask Mokuba to suffer the men and women but the teenager had enough to do lately, with homework on top of monitoring the last duel.

"I can get another envelope in the city later?"

Seto flashed a smile of thanks and nodded his head as Kisara gave up on the messy drawer of odds and ends and stood up, brushing the dust off of her dark navy jeans. Excavating her ringing phone from a pocket, she pinned it to her ear with her shoulder and grabbed her handbag as her hearing was assaulted; Vivian wasn't the most patient of women. A rushed kiss and a silently-mouthed goodbye was all she could offer Seto between Viv's marching orders.

He watched as she walked through the swinging door and frowned; Kisara had been in a weird mood for a couple of days now. She'd been quiet all day yesterday and had been up before him this morning; normally she hogged the bed and laughed as he headed for work. Shaking his head, Seto figured he was probably just reading too much into it - everyone was trying to keep up with the tournament lately, between public announcements and the multitude of Duel Monsters fans that seemed to materialise every time they ventured anywhere. Looking to his brother, the older Kaiba smirked and showed him the newest letter from Domino's so-called business experts.

* * *

"So it's a no-go then?"

Akari sighed as she spoke, already knowing the answer to her own question; scheduling a nice dinner reservation on a day like today had been a bit optimistic even for her. The maid kicked the door of the bedroom shut behind her as Aki and the new girl exchanged looks; trying to have an adult conversation with them around was downright impossible.

"Afraid so, but I'll make it up; I promise."

"Yeah you will …"

It was she could do to nod her head with a smile; despite being so quiet and serious in his job, Isamu was a softie at heart and she could see how guilty he was at cancelling their plans. So dinner was out the window for the time-being and she doubted she'd see him before midnight tonight; the time they had with each other was definitely at odds with work these days. KaibaCorp's security team was on double-time this week and it seemed as though the majority of them were living in KaibaLand permanently for the past couple of days.

"You should go get some sleep, you look exhausted."

"If you think I'm bad then you should see Roland; a baby at home doesn't help …"

Akari smiled at that and shook her head as Isamu stood closer and she felt hands on her hips; she doubted having a newborn up for feeds was complimenting constant work-hours. She found it hard enough to keep on top of things at the mansion and maintain a clean apartment, let alone try to have a family at the same time; kudos to Roland. Shaking her head and avoiding a kiss, the small maid picked up one of the full laundry baskets on the floor and started walking in the direction of the stairs, Isamu sighing and following as he picked up a basket too; little time together meant even less time in bed together recently, but Akari had a point; no sense in getting fired for a fumble.

"Who's the girl with Aki?"

He'd seen a new face before his girlfriend had kicked the door closed; he knew Aki and Kimiko well from Akari's apartment and he knew the faces of the remaining maids but the other girl had been a stranger to him.

"Kaede, she's the replacement for the bitch; she's nice."

Akari hid a grin as she deliberately left out a little nugget of information. Poor new Kaede had been talking away to Aki yesterday as they dressed the beds and had let slip that she thought Roland's second-in-command was cute, not understanding why even the older Takara had started giggling until Kimiko had told her that Isamu was taken. Eying her man, the short girl smiled again; he'd probably get a big head if she told him that.

"So no gossip from the men in black?"

"Not outside of boring crowd-herding in KaibaLand, what about here?"

Akari shrugged and shook her head; nothing too interesting had happened over the last couple of days. The media world had led with the story of Mokuba and Rebecca for the past three or four days, but that was it really. Nearing the open landing of the foyer, Isamu stopped short as he heard a voice and pulled Akari back with him.

"I just want my things please."

Akari swallowed the protest in her throat as she heard it too; she knew that voice and she knew the next one that joined into the conversation. But her espionage days were over as Isamu pulled her in the other direction, away from the balustrade overlooking the foyer and away from the front-page topic all of Domino wanted to read about.

"And I just want to talk, Bec."

The blonde laughed at that, but it wasn't an amused laugh; all she wanted was to grab a few books she'd left in the library and maybe see Kai again and then go home and somehow avoid all the articles floating around with lies about her private life; so this must have been how Kisara felt every time something was printed.

"Talk about what exactly, Mokuba?"

He shrunk back at that, not liking to be put on the spot and scuffed his toe on the ground, an action that annoyed Rebecca to no end; he always done that to buy time for an answer, whether it was in school or home-life.

"Look, I'll come back when Seto's here … at least I might get my things."

Turning on her heel, Rebecca made for the front door; she had known it would be a bad idea to come to the mansion but she had hoped Mokuba would be busy at KaibaLand and one of the maids could have let her in. But no, that would have made things much too easy for her and life had no intentions of being easy lately.

"I'm sorry, Bec … I swear I didn't mean-"

She just glared at him and shook her head; it was a little too late for excuses now. She could have done with them a couple of days ago but all she had gotten was silence. Silence and a lot of time to think over the situation.

If she wanted to, the teenager could read papers and magazines and believe their lies that Mokuba had been seeing Suzu behind her back for months, or even that she was in the wrong and that she had focused too much on dueling to maintain their relationship. There was an infinite reserve of rumours flying out of the mill lately, even one where Suzu had 'seduced' Mokuba away from her. They were so blatantly false that a couple of them were amusing even. As if Mokuba even had it in him to tip-toe behind her back and do something like that; the guilt would eat him up instantly. She wasn't even that angry that he had tried to keep it from her. Deception was never going to be Mokuba's flaw.

"No, you never mean to hurt anyone ever, Mokuba. That's your problem."

"What?"

Rebecca shook her head again and felt a lump trying to block off her throat; she knew exactly what she was getting herself into when she agreed to go out with a Kaiba.

"You're too nice, you try to help everyone. If it's not a girl in maths, then it's Suzu and her parents' divorce or that other girl in music class."

"What's wrong with helping out?"

"Nothing, unless it hurts other people! Do you know how many times you said you'd help me study, how many walks you said we'd go on, or even the couple of dates in the city that never happened? You're _always_ too busy helping fix someone else up."

He had no answer for that. Mokuba felt his conscience ringing a few bells of recognition; how many times had he called off plans with Bec to go help out someone else? He'd stepped in at KaibaCorp loads of times since Kisara arrived, he'd helped Suzu with her homework lots and Ayane and a load of others … but they were his friends. And he'd seen what could happen to kids no one wanted to help, he'd seen what had happened Noah when he had nobody to rely on. He'd seen so much ignorance in his life from people supposed to help that he didn't want to be a hypocrite.

Mokuba looked back up at Rebecca and faltered for a second as she held his stare; he saw blatant anger in there, something he knew he deserved but there was something else floating about in her blue eyes too.

"I … why didn't you yell at me then?"

She wiped away a loose tear and shrugged her shoulders. Mokuba felt like kicking himself and made to walk towards her; he didn't like seeing girls crying, especially if he was the reason.

"Because that's just the way you are. And why should you change because it doesn't suit me?"

"Rebecca-"

"Tell Seto I'll drop around for my stuff some other day."

She was gone out the front door before he could say anything else, leaving a guilt-ridden Mokuba to lean his head against the door and slam a fist into it with a curse; all the people he'd been helping and he'd overlooked the most important one. Little did he know that she was right on the other side of the door still, wiping away another tear as his foot connected with the heavy wood.

* * *

So that was the reason behind her odd humour. Pegasus had been in the country for a couple of weeks now, winning his duel yesterday, and she still hadn't met with him or even hinted that she'd like to. The night Koji had been taken ill, Seto had shared a limo back to the mansion with Vivian Wong and, somewhere between glaring looks and smart comments, she had told him about Pegasus' involvement in Kisara's childhood.

Seto kept his head low as a couple of people passed by; tonight was one night he didn't want people recognising him. Even Kisara hadn't realised he was a couple of yards behind her yet. And she didn't look up as he walked closer; just because he didn't see eye-to-his-one-eye with Pegasus didn't mean she wasn't allowed to. What happened in Duelist Kingdom was in the past and was his business with the man. That said, Seto had an inkling that Pegasus had tried to apologise in his own way over the years; every time KaibaCorp's stock prices struggled badly, Industrial Illusions would flood the market and drive down competing prices, letting the KC ones climb back to the top of the list.

"You look like her."

Kisara started and looked over her shoulder as she heard the voice. Smiling lightly, she looked back to the headstone; he wasn't the first person to say she looked like her famous mother, but apparently her smile was the same as her father's … at least that was what she had been told.

"Why didn't you tell me it was today?"

Kisara shrugged her answer as she sniffed; she didn't really know why - even Viv didn't know why she had skipped out on Yugi's duel early; it was a done deal the King of Games would beat the amateur anyway.

"You had enough to deal with today."

Seto shook his head as he stood closer. He'd managed to deal with the Domino Business Association rather quickly; their proposed plan had surprisingly made a lot of sense and the KaibaCorp officials had all scrambled off to their offices in an excited rush when he'd announced the new plan.

Taking a step forward, Kisara brushed her fringe behind her ear and stared down at the headstone, feeling herself falter; she didn't know whether to take another step and lower the flowers or to just turn tail and leave the cemetery - she hadn't known the man. She could just about remember her mother, but the blond man was a blank-face to her memory. She felt relief as a hand took the bouquet from her.

Seto stood forward and bent down to place the pale flowers beneath Matthew Ashbrook's picture; twenty years dead was a long time. There were no other flowers on the grave apart from a small wreath with handwriting he recognised; Pegasus' cursive never did improve. But surely there should have been something from the Ashbrooks themselves, especially from Jonathon to mark his younger brother's anniversary.

Eying the white roses on the pebbles, Kisara wondered how long they would last before the cold and wind ravaged them; maybe artificial blossoms would have been a better option or even paper roses … but that would have only been an imitation of the sentiment she wanted to convey. And she didn't want that; she wanted to tell the man of how much she would have liked to have known him, of how fondly her mother used to speak of him. Of how much she missed him.

"How can I miss someone I never knew? Isn't that a bit dumb?"

"No, it's only natural. I still miss my parents, my real ones."

Kisara pulled her thin blazer tighter around her as she looked up; that was the first she'd ever heard him speak of any parental figure, biological or not. Mokuba had told her he couldn't remember his father and that his mother had died after he'd been born … but Seto _could_ remember them, both of them and Kisara couldn't decide if that was a good thing or not as she watched him stare at the grave. But whatever had flitted across Seto's eyes was gone in an instant with that small arrogant smirk back in place as he brushed some fly-away strands behind her ear.

"Ready to go?"

Kisara nodded her head and she gave the gravestone another quick look and saw the small wreath for the first time. Walking slowly away from the grave, the young woman tried to shake the déjà vu feeling she had and ran the day's happenings through her head; Yugi had won his duel at KaibaLand against the amateur, or so Vivian had text her an hour or two ago, and she had gotten the wedding envelope for the radio-guy's nuptials. They walked for a few minutes and Kisara felt her shoulders were a little lighter on this return trip to the cemetery.

"Heads-up, next week is going to be fun."

Leaning into Seto as they walked, Kisara looked up at him suspiciously. Fun never meant fun when he said it like that; it usually meant another period of rushing about was going to hit the mansion.

"Why?"

"You'll find out on the evening news, here."

The black bomber jacket might aswell find its way to her wardrobe as Seto surrendered it over; she seemed to wear it more than some of her own coats. Kisara didn't argue with him as she slid her hands through the sleeves; her conscience did object to him being left a layer down though, but Seto didn't seem to feel the cold as much as she did - maybe she just needed to acclimatise to Japanese winters. They walked in silence for a few minutes, slowly getting closer to the gate of the cemetery and Kisara found herself nestling all the closer to her fiancé. When was the last time she'd had him to herself like this? Over the past couple of days all they'd seen of each other was the groggy morning grumble and the late night breathing. A kiss here and there in between had broken the monotony.

"We haven't done this in a while."

"Walk around a graveyard?"

"Yes Seto, I meant we haven't walked around a graveyard together in a while."

Kisara smiled and shook her head as she spoke; there was a reason he was the head of a company, she told herself, but it just seemed to disappear every so often, replaced by a momentary lapse of logic.

"Careful, sarcasm suits you."

Seto smiled and slid his hand into the pocket of the black jacket, frowning when he came up empty. She just stood still and frowned as he searched the other pocket and got the same result.

"Shit …"

Shifting her weight from one foot to the other, Kisara smiled lightly as her mind flashed back to the crowded KaibaCorp lobby and the first day she had spent with him. Burying her own hands in the pockets for warmth, she fought the urge to hop from foot to foot again; it was turning cold as evening drew in.

"What's wrong?"

"I forgot something, mind if we swing by KaibaCorp?"

Kisara shook her head as she shivered; she didn't mind where they went as long as she got to move and she had absolutely no plans for tonight as it stood. Téa was constantly rehearsing for Swan Lake, Mai was working all hours, Vivian was in a debating match with countless landlords, trying to strike a fair lease for a new branch of her parents' jewellery branch and she hadn't seen Rebecca in days, not since the girl had won her duel against Balfry Ginger.

Walking across an empty street, she noticed the lack of cars; usually the busy drivers had a tendency to use pedestrians as target-practice. But tonight it seemed as though the citizens were also taking a rest as the tournament broke for two days while the next stage was organised. Walking down the same narrow second-street that she had walked with Mokuba, Kisara looked up at the dark walls; the council had taken down all the Christmas lights last week and the city looked oddly bare without them.

Even the main street of the shopping district was deserted with most shops locking up for the night, but KaibaCorp was still open, its lights showing all the people still in their offices working away. More people flitted around the lobby with both of the receptionists busy with phone calls as they approached the front desk. Seto spoke a few low words to the younger woman and she nodded her head before rummaging about on her desk, moving a stack of papers and producing a large set of keys, handing them over to her boss all while keeping the customer on the other end of the line. Pocketing the keys, Seto looked to his watch and walked towards the elevator.

Too busy watching a few suited people arguing over a newspaper by one of the coffee tables, Kisara turned to ask Seto something, blushing as she found herself alone and spotted him smiling over by the lift; leaving her on her own was not cool and she stomped her way over to the doors of the elevator with reddened cheeks.

"Not funny, Seto."

"No it wasn't … it was very funny."

Trying to stop a smile pulling at her lips, Kisara crossed her arms over her chest and tried to look serious. But that plan went out the window as he pressed the very top button on the panel; she'd only ever been to the underground garage - the rest of KaibaCorp was still a mystery and Kisara knew it'd take a while to wrap her head around the countless rooms on its twenty-eight floors. But she knew what that button was for.

"Your office?"

Seto nodded his head as they neared the top floor of his building; if they went home now, then they'd miss the news bulletin and he wanted her to know what was going on next week as soon as possible - he'd given his word that the first mention of the happenings would be an official one and he wasn't going to recant now. She was out of the lift before he even registered the doors opening and Seto smiled lightly as Kisara inspected the hallway leading up to his office; it was still barer than he'd like and the furniture a lot more rudimentary than he was used to, but he'd had no time to alter the contractor's design after the earthquake - the new tournament had barrelled to the fore of his attention.

"It's _way_ nicer than Zigfried's …"

And that was when he smiled properly; she knew all the right words. Holding the bunch of keys in one hand, Seto rooted about in his other pocket and retrieved the one key no one else had a copy to; even Mokuba had to use the original if he was filling in for a day. Unlocking the door, the CEO kicked it open and looked back at Kisara as she stared out over the city.

"You know, the view's even better from in here."

Looking up away from the panoramic view, she nodded her head and abandoned the window, click-clacking across the tiled floor. She had taken Vivian's advice and had made an effort with her clothing today, but the light blouse and blazer did nothing against the cold. Hugging the black bomber jacket around her all the more, something caught her attention in the office. There was a huge light-coloured desk, a television set into the wall, a mini-bar in the corner along with shelves of books and a large sofa to one side, but none of that was what beckoned her across the room.

Tracing a finger over the bumpy oil paint, Kisara smiled a little; the scales looked so real and so did its eyes. _Her_ eyes. Despite what people said, she had always thought of the monster as a female. The holograms at KaibaLand had been surreal, but the Blue-Eyes White Dragon looked all the more imposing on the tangible canvas, each brush-stroke bringing the White Lightning even further to life as the office lights played tricks with the light and shadow of the painting.

Switching on the television, Seto turned and froze; he hadn't thought twice about having the artwork commissioned or about bringing her up here. He just hadn't thought at all. But then Kisara looked up at him and smile and he breathed again, and called himself an idiot. An idiot for thinking anything could happen - it was just a painting after all. And before he could say anything else, the newsreader appeared on the television and the first image on-screen was his building of course.

Seeing KaibaCorp on the news, Kisara left the gorgeous painting where it was and sat on the sofa, leaning back against Seto; the female anchor was talking a bit too fast for her to properly understand, but she got the gist of the announcement and smiled as Seto yawned; a bigger retailing branch of Kaiba Corporation was to begin construction in east Domino next week along with a new branch of Fujiwara Pharmaceuticals and four or five other businesses in a bid to rejuvenate that section of the city, with KaibaCorp being projected as the largest investment in the area.

"We're creating about a hundred jobs in construction and ultimately four hundred-ish, not counting the other businesses."

Kisara frowned as the screen showed the dilapidated buildings that would be transformed by these new investments. She should have been ecstatic for him and congratulating the bold move like anyone else would have done, but the young woman had a spanner to throw into the works and her conscience wouldn't let her stay quiet.

"But w-what about the, um … f-flood plain?"

Hearing the stammer, Seto glanced down and saw the blush rising in her cheeks.

"I know this girl with a degree in geography and I was hoping she could advise on the plans …"

Kisara just hid her face under his arm and nodded her head at those words; she was never asked to advise on things like this - the last piece of advice she had given was to Vivian, telling her to tone-down her fashion radar. But she was happy too and that was why she could feel an embarrassed blush replacing her nervous one; she liked the idea of trying to tackle the flooding problem and working around it and Seto had asked her to help, that was what she really liked - it beat sitting in the mansion with nothing to do.

So that was why the Domino Business Association had been clamouring for his time lately, along with Toshi's. She should have been happy for all the people it would employ, the new market for KaibaCorp and for Toshi's business and she was … but she was also relieved for Zigfried; more businesses in the area would attract more customers for SchroederCorp too.

The news broadcast moved on to other stories of less importance to the city; there was a girl in the east of Japan who had broken a world record, a spat between fishing boats off the coast and something to do with a snow festival in the mountains. Watching the little snippets of Japan's life, Kisara idly wondered how things were doing back in France; there had been a new President elected the last time she had checked and, by all accounts, that side of Europe was hitting a financial wall with the International Monetary Fund weighing in on the problems. The stock report was next on the agenda, something she was finding it a little bit easier to understand - KaibaCorp was up half a percent by the look of it.

Bored of the news and its forecast of more snow and cold weather, she fidgeted with the bunch of keys on Seto's lap; that must have been the reason for returning to KaibaCorp. Going through the countless keys, she wondered how he ever managed to find the one he wanted on the bunch; there were just too many. Watching her flick through them, Seto kept one eye on the television and listed the many things the keys were for.

"Front doors, meeting room doors, safe, another safe, safe, hologram room, technicians' room, safe … I still don't know what that one is for."

Looking up, Kisara giggled as he took the bundle from her and eyed the small gold key; that thing had been on the bunch for as long as he could remember and he still didn't have a clue what it was for; even Roland and Rin drew a blank on the key. He would've thrown it out ages ago only he had the nagging feeling it would be needed as soon as he dumped it; every other key had a use _except_ for that stupid one and he had spent too many hours trying it in locks out of sheer stubbornness.

Hearing a familiar voice on the television, Seto handed the bunch of keys back to Kisara and looked to the screen; this was what he had been waiting for in earnest; the drawing of the second-tier duels. Watching Roland too, Kisara eyed the large sphere behind him where twelve coloured balls with names were being tossed about; six more duels until the tournament got really serious.

The first names drawn were Zigfried Von Schroeder against Fortune Salim and she could predict who would win that one already. The names got mixed up again and Roland named the next duelists as Yugi Muto opposite the amateur that had beaten Abe the Monkey Man; another easy match by all accounts. Totani Ialos would be facing Joey Wheeler and Kisara found herself rooting for Mai's boyfriend as Roland named the duelists in match four; Pegasus against the amateur who had defeated Dr. Richard Goat. Realizing that there were only four names left in the draw now, she watched with worry; she didn't want any of the four drawn against each other.

Unfortunately, that was the way the competition went and Roland called out Mai's name against Vivian's which left only two names free on the progress board behind the selection machine; the final duel of tier two would be Seto Kaiba against Rebecca Hawkins.

* * *

How come everyone wanted him when he was away from KaibaCorp? If he sat at his desk all day, Seto knew it would only be a matter of two or three phone calls. But no, that would be much too easy. Instead he had six missed calls and he was cancelling another before it even reached his voicemail; they could call Rin if it was that important.

"Seto …"

"I know, I'll put it on silent."

"Knock it off completely; I am not standing beside you if that keeps ringing."

Looking to Kisara, he smirked and didn't know whether to call her bluff or not; of course she'd stand beside him in the church - she didn't know anyone else. But she had a point and he switched the mobile phone off; knowing his luck the thing would ring in the middle of the service and he wouldn't have it said about him. Looking back to the walking grouch that used to be his fiancée, Seto chuckled and handed his phone over to her.

"In a bad mood, Kisara?"

"Don't do that, you know I am."

Banishing the phone into her clutch bag, Kisara shook her head and fumed a little more. She didn't want to be in a bad humour on someone else's big day, but she couldn't help it. Folding her arms over her chest, the young woman could feel her mouth twitching upwards as Seto smiled with amusement; it wasn't funny in the slightest.

After a quiet spell with only the lingering story of Mokuba and Rebecca in the tabloids, the press had decided to go in a whole other direction with their latest headlines; a picture taken at KaibaLand last week had spawned a whole new rumour mill. The baggy jeans and hoody had done little for her figure, Kisara conceded that, but it had by no means made her look heavy either. But the papers wouldn't have it and the new majority consensus was that she had 'put on a few pounds' … with the minority jumping the gun and proclaiming a new Kaiba heir was on the way, a story Rin put a definite end to with an official announcement. Seto on the other hand had found it funny and, according to Rika as she had done her hair, it wasn't the first time the press had spun such a tale with a romantic interest of his.

But seeing the amusing side of the situation wasn't something she found easy and Kisara had spent a few extra minutes eying her waist and her tummy in the mirror this morning. At least until Akari had appeared and suggested changing dress choice from a loose-ruffled blue number to the light grey dress with its tailored waist.

Blinking out of her stare, Kisara smiled as Toshi appeared beside Seto and flashed a friendly smile.

"I know something that'll cheer you up …"

Jumping as someone poked her from behind, Kisara spun, but her anger deflated as Vivian beamed back and eyed her up and down before giving a thumbs-up on the outfit. So that was what Seto had been hinting at last night; he had told her that Toshi's plus-one was someone she could speak to during the wedding reception; it was that or sit like a lemon anytime Seto got called away.

"Not too shabby, chick."

Vivian was hiding something, but Kisara felt her ego lift a little at the compliment; Akari had helped her pick the dress and lovely Rika had worked her magic again with her make-up and hair for the day. The light dove-grey dress reached as far has her knees and the cowl-neck was asymmetrical and fell to one side.

"You do look particularly beautiful today, Kisara."

And back was the self-conscious blush as she mumbled a thanks at Toshi's words. Compliments were things she was still trying to get used to accepting and it seemed to be the norm whenever she went to business things with Seto; they would greet him with a handshake and then she would get a head-to-toe look and a compliment to boot. Vivian was walking a circle around her, eying the dress and probably wondering if she could pilfer it at a later date. A low laugh brought her bad mood swinging back and Kisara looked up at Seto with a hand on her hip; it still wasn't funny.

But her bad mood faded away throughout the day, replaced instead by small smiles at pretty floral arrangements, the gorgeous bride and her flawless wedding dress, at lyrical vows and finally at the happy faces of the new couple as they made their way back down the aisle.

The reception afterwards wasn't as bad as she had thought. Shuichi Yoshida and his new bride were very grateful as she stood beside Seto and handed over the wedding envelope with both hands, a little tip Toshi had offered; it implied importance of what she was handing over. Kisara was thankful for Vivian as both Seto and Toshi were called away at various points in the evening. That said, Seto was quick to return when one of the male guests had given a stab at chatting up both her and Viv. One look from KaibaCorp's owner had sent the upstart scurrying off to the other side of the large room, something Vivian found great amusement in.

Then had come the cutting of the cake, a beautiful fondant-and-fruitcake creation, and the new couple's first dance. No one else dared step on the dance floor as the song beat out its romantic tune, the husband and wife slowly circling around the floor; too lost in the day to notice the countless eyes trained on them. The change of song had beckoned more couples to the polished wooden square; bridesmaids paired up with groomsmen and the bride and groom's parents had also silently joined the wedding party. And before she knew it, Kisara was staring up into the same dark blue eyes as usual, the dim lighting of the function room only making her strain all the more to focus on them. For all the money in the world, she couldn't have named the song that played as she let Seto lead the way. Seeing a couple of the bridesmaids eying her man, Kisara smiled and linked her arms lightly around his neck - her man.

Toshi passed by and whispered something in his ear, something that at first elicited a small smile from Seto until he looked about and found the person in question; the fat Rick-rolling man from months ago had slipped on a spilled drink and ended up on the floor. Seeing the mishap in slow-motion, the young man let loose a whole-hearted laugh at the accident. It wasn't the floored man that garnered Kisara's attention though; she couldn't keep the goofy smile from her face.

Even Seto done a double-take as he looked back down at her.

"What?"

"Nothing, I just haven't heard you properly laugh in a while."

_Not since Koji died _was what she really wanted to say, but the young woman held her tongue and settled for her answer. Her fiancé nodded his head and took a breath to say something, but left it out and instead offered a small smirk. A nuance that Kisara recognised straight away; it was the same smirk she got when he left early or had to stay late at KaibaCorp - Seto's version of an apology.

And even when Vivian had demanded she join the rabble of women gathering for the throwing of the bouquet, she gladly shook her head and tapped the ring on her left hand, earning a disappointed boo from Viv. It didn't matter anyway, as the bride's younger sister was the one to catch the pretty bouquet, though Vivian did end up with the bride's garter at the end of the night somehow …

* * *

"Oh god … this isn't my apartment."

Shaking her head as Vivian gingerly made her way across the kitchen, Kisara just smiled and switched the kettle on; it was too early for this. They had stayed until the end of the wedding reception before getting a lift back to the mansion from one of the provided chauffeurs. But the household was one person up on its usual headcount and, by the look of things, Viv's memory wasn't entirely intact this morning.

"How did I end up here? I wasn't that drunk."

No, she hadn't been drunk. _Drunk_ was the last barrier Vivian ran into before she hurtled headlong into absolute alcoholism for the night. Granted, she had been well-behaved last night had participated in no fights, hadn't insulted anyone and had made it to the car with only a few stumbles.

"_She_ said you could sleep here."

Shrugging as Seto appeared in the doorway and decidedly answered Vivian, Kisara nodded her head; Viv had been rather inebriated last night and had more or less fallen asleep in the back of the car, though she had kept her food down; that was always a plus. Sitting at the table, the brunette spared her t-shirt and pyjama bottoms a questioning look before lowering her head to hold it in hands. Eying Kaiba as he noisily moved a few things on the sideboard, she pointed at him and groaned as a flashback flitted across her memory.

"I had a dream … you were carrying me …"

"That wasn't a dream, Kisara do you have my phone?"

"It's still in my purse."

Nodding, Kisara pointed to her clutch bag on top of the microwave and placed a glass of water in front of her befuddled friend.

"Wait, rewind for a sec, what wasn't a dream?"

Waging a mental war against the tumbler of water, Vivian pushed it away and caught the look sent between Kisara and Kaiba-poo. Kisara smiled and placed two painkillers on the table beside the glass before looking back to Seto and his disguised struggle with the sparkly purse. She left him for a second, waiting for his patience to run out with the accessory.

"I give up on this thing …"

Taking the silver clutch, she undid the clasp with little trouble; there was a certain knack to it. Handing the phone over, Kisara raised her eyebrows and nodded at Vivian, getting only a shake of his head in response. The doorbell sounded from the foyer and the couple exchanged the same look again; a look encouraging the other to speak. Another few seconds of silence ticked by before Viv finally got an answer to her question.

"Well, you kind of fell asleep in the car and I couldn't lift you on my own …"

Feeling a blush creeping up on her at Kisara's words, Vivian shook her head and tried to bury it back into her hands, stopping short as she saw her wrist. Pulling the makeshift bracelet off, she examined the lace garter with its blue ribbon intertwined in the stitching and cringed.

"Ooops, I thought the men were supposed to catch this …"

"Oh Vivian … you have got to stop getting so drunk, sweetie."

The duelist just nodded her head and agreed with a sad pout; the fun of last night was only a vague haze through her current headache and it just wasn't worth it. Any other girl would have been ecstatic to think Seto Kaiba had carried them to bed … and she couldn't even recall the event. The kitchen door opened and Kai bounded in with a bark that seemed way too loud for Vivian's ears as one of the older maids followed.

"Kai, hush! Sorry to interrupt, but there's a gentleman at the door asking for Miss Ashbrook."

"Me?"

Patting Kai as she sat by her feet, Kisara looked up with surprise; usually house-calls were officials for Seto or some of Mokuba's friends. That and she couldn't think of any man who would call to the mansion for her; she wasn't particularly close to Téa's friends. The only other person it could be was-

"Oooh, Ziggy come for round two?"

Vivian's hangover had miraculously disappeared as she sat bolt upright and smiled as Seto headed for the foyer. Following close on his heels, Kisara sent her friend a glare and headed for the door, praying that Zigfried wasn't foolish enough to do such a thing. But it wasn't Zigfried standing on the front step of the mansion, nor was it anyone she had ever seen before. Not sure of this new person, Kisara stood just behind Seto as he spoke, sounding as though he was drawing the same blank as her.

"Can I help you?"

The short man looked straight past Seto and fixed his grey eyes on her instead, his voice betraying a slight French accent.

"Are you Miss Kisara Kiyomi Annette Ashbrook?"

"Y-yes."

It had been a long time since someone had full-named her like that and she couldn't help but recall her auntie scolding her for staying up late or not eating all of her vegetables. A brown envelope brought her back to the present and she felt a small flutter of hope that it was something from France.

"This is for you."

Taking the envelope with a blush, she undid the tie but froze as the man spoke again, a smug smile on his face.

"You've been served."

"_What?"_

Vivian had emerged from the kitchen in the hope of watching the conclusion of the company-owner brawl, visibly disappointed to find some office-looking guy instead. That disappointment turned instantly to indignation as the weedy man turned and retreated down the steps; why would Kisara, of all people, be summoned?

"Show me that …"

Taking the envelope, Seto pulled out the documents and started flicking through the pages while Vivian offered the visitor a two-fingered salute as he climbed back into his car and slammed the front door closed before he could respond. A few uneasy seconds ticked by and Kisara looked to Seto for answers; she didn't quite understand what was happening - an out of the blue visit was starting to look like more.

"Shit, Naoki call Rin and tell her to get here and call the head attorney too!"

"That doesn't sound good …"

Vivian mumbled under her breath as she eyed the pages in Kaiba's hand; anything that arrived in a brown envelope was rarely helpful and she didn't like the serious look on Kaiba's face either. But it was better than the worry on Kisara's.

"Sir, she wants to speak to you."

Naoki handed over the phone and offered a small bow before disappearing back down the hallway. His words to Rin were fast and serious and Kisara struggled to keep up with the jargon being thrown about; it was all sounding much too legal for her liking and she hadn't even done anything wrong. Hanging up the phone with an annoyed word, Seto ran back through the pages again and frowned.

"Seto, d-did I do something?"

It was only then he looked up and realised the situation. Flashing a small smile, he shook his head and checked his watch; maybe Mokuba would take those meetings today after all.

"No, you didn't … it's just. A former employee of Ashbrook Estates is suing your uncle for unfair dismissal. It's a subpoena for your testimony."

"In France?"

Of all the questions rattling about, that was the only one Kisara could force out; she didn't want to go back to France, not when everything was going so well. Vivian stood beside Seto and pointed to a few words halfway down the page, muttering about a timeline and loophole, something that Seto agreed with and nodded his head.

But Kisara didn't care for what the writ entailed. She didn't want to go back to France, she didn't want to testify against her family and she didn't want to stand up in front of people and speak. Surely they couldn't make her do it. They couldn't make her leave her life in Japan. Even the thought of it was making her irrationally upset, blurring her vision with impatient tears.

"I … I don't want t-to."

That stopped both Vivian and Seto mid-argument over something on the paper. The two instead looked to her and Viv was the first across the foyer, wrangling her into a squeezing hug that she had no intention of ending. But it was Seto she looked to as he gripped the subpoena tight enough to crease the paper.

"Don't worry, I'll fix this. Somehow. You won't be going back, I promise."

Kisara nodded lightly; Rin would get here and she would set the legal team on the case. Seto said he would fix it. And he would.

* * *

**A****/n- I hope you all liked it and if anyone has anything they'd like to in the next couple of chapters, then by all means let me know! I'm going to try and update before Christmas, but I have a few exams in college to deal with, so I'll try my best - I promise! XxxxxxX**


	39. Damaged

**Author's Note:** Hi everyone! Sorry for the long wait guys, real-life just took over a lot of time. But as a sort of apology, I made this chapter pretty long! Thanks again for taking the time to read and the usual thanks to **Renolvr** for her beta-reading!

* * *

_I will let you down, I will make you hurt._

* * *

It might have taken him just shy of a week, but he had promised to fix it and fix the problem he had. Begrudgingly, Seto recognised Vivian's help in the matter; she had called bullshit on the timeline of the subpoena; how could Kisara be summoned as a witness if she wasn't even on the same continent at the time? That defence had been tossed to his legal team and had held up quite well in court - a Japanese judge had declared the writ null and void a few hours ago. She didn't want to go back to France, and he was damned if anyone would make her.

He still hadn't come face to face with Jonathon Ashbrook but the man's likeness to a bad memory was more than enough for Seto to form an opinion of him. It was more than that though.

There was a world of doppelgangers out there, even people that made a living out of resembling celebrities. Just because one person looked like another didn't cement any fact about them; it was that person's actions that mattered and so far Jonathon had won no favours. He had sent Kisara to Japan on her own, not even picking up a phone to check how she was doing. His brother was buried in Japan, something that begged a raised eyebrow - surely Matthew's family would have wanted him buried in his homeland of France? Not even a bunch of cursory flowers shivered on the grave to mark his death save for the offerings from Pegasus and Kisara. Even his own parents' grave in Chiba always had a new adornment to mark another year - if he owed it to the people who had brought him into this world, surely Jonathon owed it to his younger brother to remember him once a year.

But something else entirely had newly soured Seto's humour and set his hatred of Jonathon in stone. The man that had been fired by Ashbrook Estates had been an accountant and had quietly accepted the judge's ruling that Kisara was exempt from his lawsuit. Too quietly for his liking, so Seto had organised for Mokuba to watch things at KaibaLand and had gotten his hands dirty. It wasn't too difficult to find the information he wanted - a bribe here and a threat or two there - and the picture suddenly became a lot clearer.

Roland had left an envelope in his office a few days after Hana had been fired. The maid's actions had been surprising; why sell information to the papers at the cost of a high-paying and steady job? Roland had done most of the work if truth be told and had traced the lump sum in the girl's account to an anonymous account somewhere in Europe. An account that trickled back through five or six more until it settled in a subsidiary branch of a French bank that had strong ties to the Ashbrook Estates. Why the Estates had paid Hana off was something his investigation stopped short of. But what he did turn up was an utter surprise.

He knew that Kisara was the heir to Ashbrook Estates, the only one in line after her father's death. Her uncle held the Estates in trust and Seto couldn't argue with the logic; Kisara had no corporate education and she had very limited knowledge of the business world. He wouldn't place an Arts graduate without business experience at the head of KaibaCorp and he couldn't blame Jonathon for handling the company himself. But only if it was legal. On the summons sent to the mansion Kisara had been allowed the title of Chief Executive Officer of Ashbrook Estates, a styling that caught his attention. A bit more digging and he had found the source; a copy of Matthew Ashbrook's last will and testament that had conveniently been attached and encrypted in an email from the fired accountant. He had named his daughter as both heir and CEO of the Estates, to be handed over after her eighteenth birthday.

Kisara had turned twenty in November and she had never once mentioned anything about the Estates save small bits and pieces about wine; she hadn't even known about the expansion in the United States. Not a thing happened in KaibaCorp without his knowledge and approval and Seto could safely say that was the norm in all businesses. Whether in office by their own appointment or employed by others, CEOs were solely responsible for the running of a company.

He tossed the envelope of secrets to the other side of his desk and groaned; Kisara knew nothing of her corporate title and he wasn't that keen to tell her. She liked her free time and he knew how being in charge robbed him of any and all spare minutes. But not telling her could be worse; her uncle was signing off on things in her stead and making decisions she should have a say in. No wonder the accountant had tried to have her used as a witness; he was probably hoping she would realise her entitlement and take over the Estates … a wish that could well have caused his dismissal.

He would have to tell her, or at least make it so that she found out. But not now, not when they had so much happening. Mai Valentine had never come true on her words about a night out in the city's clubs, but the blonde had instead dragged her friends out for a girls evening nonetheless and he had a duel to prepare for tomorrow afternoon, not to mention the new construction in eastern Domino had laid foundations today and the Duel Academy was slowly starting to make progress again.

He'd lost a lot of time yesterday when one of Japan's wealthiest moguls had visited Domino to have a look at the new development. The man owned a large portion of the electrical power market and rumours tied him to the Yakuza too, but that all depended on who was asked. But that hadn't been the problem: Isono Kato had a well-known reputation as a liar in the corporate-world and would spread whatever rumours came his way for pure fun. And a chance run-in with the man had resulted in a suggestion that they catch up over dinner with their wives. However little Kisara had liked the idea, Seto had liked it less; he'd been agreeing to this dinner since last year and had thought he'd gotten Kato off his back. The small fat man was loud and annoying and his wife equally so. Seto lost count of how many times he'd corrected the duo on he and Kisara not being married, but it didn't seem to matter to the couple. Three long and gruelling hours. Who the hell took three hours to eat a meal? Credit to Kisara, she talked away with Kato's wife all night despite blushing and stammering through a couple of sentences. Four times he'd tried to reach for his jacket and four times Kato had changed the subject or waffled on about something else. In the end, Kisara had caught his look and complained of an upset stomach, something Kato winked and grinned at.

_Best be off with that young wife of yours, Kaiba, word has it KaibaCorp has an heir on the way!_

Seto smirked as Kato indicated the glass of water Kisara had been drinking, drawing his own conclusions. Little did he know she could probably put away more alcohol than he could and still be polite and well-spoken. Giving Kisara his jacket, Seto managed to spin her away from Kato and his wife before she could say anything. There was no reason to correct them; they'd make up their own stories regardless. That, and they could finally break for freedom and stay clear of that man for another year or two.

But what made him smile had been Kisara's indignant questioning of whether her dress made her look fat. Kato was a creep at the best of times and loved a gossip, so he'd more than likely heard of the press running the pregnancy rumour a couple of days ago, that was all. If anything the black lace cocktail dress had showed off her slender frame and, as they'd found out later on, it looked much better on the floor by his bed anyway.

* * *

"Hey I think I'm getting- oww!"

Mai landed on the ice with a heavy thump and sat there until one of the marshals glided to her aid and helped her up, offering a wink as she thanked him. Kisara didn't dare laugh until she saw Vivian giggling to herself; Mai had a temper when she wanted but she was too busy holding onto the railing to notice their laughing.

The outdoor ice-rink was packed with people after the day's duel had relinquished their attention. Watching as Mai fired a snowball back at Vivian, Kisara smiled. The fact that they were joking around and laughing just went to prove what good friends the women were. It had been close and down to the wire, but Vivian had somehow managed to defeat Mai with only fifty life-points remaining on her own counter. Mai had been unlucky, not expecting Viv's special summon and her Dragon Lady returning to the field with only one Harpie Lady left to defend her.

That had been duel number five of the tournament's second tier. Zigfried had won his duel on Monday, knocking Fortune Salim out of the competition. Yugi had kept the trend up the next day by trouncing the amateur he'd been pitted against. Totani Ialos had bowed out to Joey's Flame Swordsman and Thursday had brought with it the creator of Duel Monsters; Maximillion had given the amateur a blunt lesson on how to play the game and win in less than ten turns. With Mai and Vivian's duel over and done with, it only left one more to take place tomorrow and Kisara could feel her stomach roiling with the thought; she wanted Seto to win, definitely … but that meant Rebecca would have to lose. With a pained pang, the young woman shook herself; her stomach had been bothering her on and off for a day now and she was starting to get sick of it. It wasn't that time of the month and all she could pin it down to was having dinner with a business acquaintance of Seto's yesterday; too much fibre in a diet done no one any good. And too much loud talking and thunderous laughter gave her a migraine - another thing she had learned after that dinner last night.

"Head in the clouds, Kisara?"

Téa asked the question as she came to an unsteady stop beside Mai, the cumbersome blue skates ruining her accomplishment as they almost slipped from beneath her; the ballerina had all the elegant movements of a figure skater when she was standing still. Just don't ask her to turn on her own or stop unassisted; she had already fallen twice and had relegated herself to the sidelines - better to be timid than to be injured for Swan Lake next month. Shaking her head, Kisara shrugged as Serenity wobbled past with a smile on her face as another ice-marshal offered the pretty teenager an arm for support. Seeing Téa slip again, Kisara pushed forward and caught her friend by the arm to stop her from falling. Altogether done with the ice, Téa clamped her hands onto the railing and decidedly stayed put to rule out any injury; ice-skating definitely wasn't one of her hidden talents.

"Race you, chick?"

Looking about as a snowball hit her in the back, Kisara smiled and moved towards Vivian. No one declared the start of the race or set a finishing line before the two women sped to the far end of the outdoor ice-rink. Stopping neatly just shy of the railing, Vivian flashed a smug smile and brushed her dark hair behind her ears before bending over and catching her breath.

"I'm getting too old for this crap."

Sliding to a stop beside her, Kisara grinned and cursed the clunky blue skates; the blades were thick and dull to the touch. If she had her white pair of skates then Vivian would have never won the dash. Gathering a handful of snow, she returned the earlier favour and glided out of reach as Vivian made towards her, snow scattered in her hair; the shrieks of laughter seemed muffled by the teetering crowd of novices on the outdoor rink. Dodging another snowball, Kisara shifted her weight from one leg and onto the other, switching edges and directions as Mai almost crashed into her. The smile on Viv's face was one she hadn't seen in years, a sparkle in her eyes that made her feel like a sixteen-year-old again. Vivian had taught her to skate in China and had laughed as she had fallen and sprained her wrist the first time on ice. It had become a hobby she loved and Vivian had been exceedingly good once upon a time, capable of all kinds of tricks before she lost interest and took up modelling. Kisara had tried a simple half Axel jump once, under Viv's tutelage, but had earned a bruised buttocks and the wind knocked out of her - speed was more her thing with simple straight lines.

Not watching what she was doing, Mai's balance abandoned her again and she landed on her rear, taking an unlucky passing skater down with her.

"I am _so_ sorry …"

"It's fine, really."

Kisara recognised the voice but was pelted with another snowball before she could be sure. Vivian giggled again and skated a few feet away, out of snowball-range. Shaking her head with a smile, Kisara offered a hand to Mai's victim as another ice-marshal helped her friend up. The quietest of the maids blushed as she was pulled to her feet and took a breath to say something, cut off by a shout.

"Hey Kimiko, heads-up!"

Another snowball hit her in the back and Kisara had to wonder if there was a target painted on her jacket unbeknownst to her. But Akari's face was surely a picture when she turned towards the offender, another fat snowball in her hand. Kimiko stifled a laugh as her pal turned a deep red and glided closer with attempts at an explanation.

"I … it was meant for Kimiko, M-Ms. Ashbrook."

Vivian snorted a laugh before Kisara even had time to speak, another snowball flying past. Ducking out of its path, she cut Vivian a look that promised retaliation and smiled at Akari, only a light blush in her cheeks as Aki and Kaede appeared out of the skating crowd.

"You're not in work, Akari. It's Kisara."

The maid smiled and nodded before handing over her remaining snowball with a small wink. She waited until Viv passed by with a sarcastic _Ms. Ashbrook_ and loosed the big snowball, getting her in the back of the head. Vivian was on her in an instant, half-wrestling her with laughed threats as the maids looked on, Akari with a wide grin and Kaede almost worried that the fight was a real one. The tussle was over when Vivian crammed a handful of snow down the neck of her hoody.

"Oh, that's not fair!"

Kisara didn't know whether to laugh or be angry as she felt the cold running the whole way down her back. Mai took pity first and lifted her hoody to shake out the snow, stopping as something caught her attention.

"Is that a tattoo?"

Kisara blushed at Mai's question, a cackle of amusement surfacing from Vivian as she skated a bit closer and took the responsibility of answering.

"Yup, bad-girl Ashbrook has two tattoos, isn't that right Kisara?"

And before she could say anything, Viv had lifted her ponytail and revealed the inking on her neck.

Mai was admiring the symbols on her lower back, smiling and asking about the design but it was all Téa could do to keep a small smile on her face - even the four girls she presumed worked at the mansion were having a look. The small tattoo on Kisara's neck was a pretty one she conceded; the kanji for eternity, but the one on her lower back seemed too much of a coincidence.

Fighting away her blush, Kisara reclaimed the hem of her hoody and covered the inking again. A couple of skaters had stopped to have a look but disappeared fairly fast when she looked to them; would her business be forever so interesting to strangers? Even Akari and her friends dispersed with a polite goodbye as Mai went for another look at her back tattoo.

"Why that design, hun?"

Kisara blinked at the question, too busy trying to aim a new snowball at Vivian; she didn't appreciate being put on the spot like that. Running a light hand over the tattoo, she shrugged; the ankh with an Eye of Horus flanking either side had been the product of a doodle that Vivian had liked.

"I don't know really … I studied Egyptian hieroglyphics for a semester and I liked it …"

That was a crap excuse for a tattoo, she knew that, but she didn't feel like saying why she had wanted an Egyptian-themed tattoo or why she had studied hieroglyphics until she had a working knowledge of them; that was her business. It was just a pity that Viv hadn't caught on to her vague answer.

"It's because her dad was an archaeologist. He used to work with Pegasus in Egypt and-"

The duelist broke off as Téa's feet slid from beneath her, just about catching the dancer before the ice broke her fall without repent.

"You okay, Téa?"

She nodded and forced a little laugh in answer to Mai's question, but she was lying through her teeth.

"Actually, I don't feel that well …"

The rink was almost swimming in front of her eyes and her ears filled with a ringing sound. Somewhere between the sickening dread in her stomach and her dry throat, she managed to point to the railing and let Vivian guide her to it. Mai disappeared to retrieve their footwear and Vivian mumbled about some vomiting bug that was doing the rounds. Though she groaned and agreed with that hypothesis, Téa knew it was no winter illness that afflicted her. Glancing at Kisara, she wondered if her guiltiness was at all noticeable - it seemed to weigh heavy enough on her shoulders to be tangible.

A tattoo with Egyptian icons was coincidence enough, but she could have passed that; people were interested in all kinds of different things - how many westerners sought Japanese and Chinese tattoos purely for fashion? Even studying hieroglyphics was something she could pass off as another uncanny coincidence. But Vivian's words had been the kicker; Kisara's father had worked in Egypt with Pegasus … that was one coincidence too far; there were too many ties to the desert land cropping up for her liking.

* * *

Rebecca played a clever duel. Luster Dragon and Diamond Head Dragon stalked one side of the field, bolstered by Seto's Mountain magic card. 3000 was a lot of attack points to be staring at, but it never seemed to bother Seto. A few more turns passed by without anything major happening; Seto placed a card face-down and Rebecca placed her own face-down before sizing up her opponents.

Gadget Soldier sat comfortably in defence position on Seto's side of the field, along with Cave Dragon in Attack mode. Any other duelist would have ran at the chance to attack, but Rebecca was much smarter than that and smelled a rat with the face-down card. A few more turns trickled by and Seto placed one more card face-down, losing Cave Dragon along the way and Rebecca lost her Luster Dragon, only to recall it with Monster Reborn one turn later and that was her mistake.

As much as she liked Rebecca and felt sorry for her lately, Kisara could see the change of turns and how cocky Rebecca got when her Luster Dragon returned. Had she been against any other duelist, the teenager's arrogance would have heralded her winning of the duel, but she wasn't against just anyone.

"Sorry Rebecca … reveal face-down card; Graceful Charity."

Seto did as the card bid and drew three cards, discarding two to his graveyard. But then he played the trap card, Magical Trick Mirror. Though the card's exact mechanics were something that eluded her, Vivian's hushed commentary helped Kisara to keep a tab on the duel; apparently it let Seto use any magic card in Rebecca's graveyard and Seto chose Monster Reborn, something even Rebecca knew would mean the end of the tournament for her.

Flashing a small smile, the blonde shrugged and spoke up before Seto did, her good humour at odds with the outcome of the duel.

"Humour me Seto, let me guess what monster you drew with Graceful Charity and dumped into your graveyard …does it by any chance have blue eyes?"

Seto smirked at that and nodded his head, calling forth the one monster spectators wanted to see make an appearance. Everyone else focused on how Rebecca's life-points had been chipped away at and how Mountain would raise Blue-Eyes' attack points by an additional two hundred points, but Kisara found her attention was kept raptly on the huge dragon; it looked even more enthralling than the painting in Seto's office, the white scales moving with every breath and the blue eyes squinting as her master called out the attack.

And that was where Rebecca's mistake came into play; had she left Luster Dragon in the graveyard, Seto would have been forced to attack her Diamond Head Dragon, a difference of only 200 life-points, a hit she could have withstood, but the White Lightning was aimed for her Luster Dragon with only 2100 attack points even with Mountain in play, a difference 1100 and well past Rebecca's remaining life-point tally. The holograms shattered and disintegrated as the counter struck zero and a cheer went around the crowd.

She wanted to congratulate Seto and to speak to poor Rebecca. To tell the girl how much she missed her, to ask her how she was and to say well done in the duel nonetheless, but Kisara never got the chance as a crowd of spectators swarmed the open dueling field, a lot of young girls heading for Seto's side of the battle.

"Ms. Ashbrook, could you come with me please?"

Isamu spoke from beside her. How long he'd been there she couldn't say but his causal clothes caught her off-guard and Vivian ran an appreciative eye up and down Roland's second-in-command. Kisara's stomach gave another stab of pain as she elbowed her friend; she would take some painkillers when she got home.

"He's taken Vivian, what's wrong Isamu?"

Akari's boyfriend offered a polite smile to Vivian and she took the slight hint and left with a rushed hug; Mai was looking for her anyway. Isamu glanced about the crowd again, not at all happy with the amount of people squeezed into KaibaLand today; he had told Rin to cap the gate entrance when they came close to capacity.

"Nothing's wrong, we just think it would be safer elsewhere."

One look at his serious eyes told Kisara to stop being foolish and trust the security team. Nodding her head with a smile, she followed Isamu away from the dense crowd and towards one of the many metal bollards that could be spotted all around KaibaLand. To everyone else they probably looked like simple metal poles that contained wiring or were meant to chain stands to, but she had been given a behind-the-scenes crash-course on the first day of the tournament. These bollards were sensors that activated the built-in shortcuts all around the amusement park. One swipe of Isamu's identity card made the sensor light turn green and a holographic tree nearby slid open to permit them entry, sliding silently shut behind them. It took a second or two but dull fluorescent lights flickered on and Kisara blinked at the metal interior of the shortcut; a narrow stairway descended in front of Isamu. A shiver ran up and down her spine as her stomach gave another pang; she didn't like this at all. She's been given a quick run-through of how to access the shortcuts and her own ID card, but no one had told _why_ she might need to use the passages.

"Careful with your steps, Ms. Ashbrook. It gets a bit dark further below and some of the steps are damp- whoa, got you!"

Her foot had slipped just as he'd finished explaining but Isamu caught her weight before she hit the floor, a wry smile on his face; maybe he should have been a bit quicker with that explanation.

"Sorry about that, here … hold onto my belt. See, we usually have better power down here but the rides and arcades are at full-usage today and they're eating the electricity on us, so it's all we can do to keep the computers and cameras running."

Whatever polite reservations she had about holding onto Isamu's belt, Kisara brushed them aside as she almost slipped again. Sliding her fingers through the belt loop, she let him lead the way and thought over his words for a couple of dark and quiet seconds. The steps grew steeper as they descended lower and she found her guesses at the scenario were starting to frighten her a bit, so Kisara ventured for an answer.

"Why did you say safer?"

"It's not my place to say, Ms. Ashbrook …"

Isamu looked like he was going to say more to her for a second, but then they reached the bottom of the stairs and brighter lights shone down on them. With an apologetic shrug, the young man walked forward again into a room full of computers and screens that showed off what she could only guess was a surveillance feed from all over the park.

"You got taken under house-arrest too, huh?"

Mokuba looked up from a wheeled chair, his face showing absolute boredom at the situation. Toying with a stick of candyfloss the teenager eyed one of the larger screens and looked about the bustling room. There were no technicians down here, Kisara noticed; all she could see were members of KaibaCorp's security force.

"What's happening?"

Roland doled out commands to a gathered group of plain-clothed security members before sending them on their way. Mokuba swung around idly in the chair as Isamu passed him and stole a chunk of cotton-candy. Kicking another chair towards her, the younger Kaiba grinned and righted his sitting position.

"It's fine, Kisara. This is your first threat-protection, that's all."

"T-threat?"

Mokuba frowned as Roland pinned him with a glare. Maybe trying to explain the problem wasn't his place; he'd been through so many of these precautions that they all blurred together after a while and became normality. Scratching his head, Mokuba flashed a smile and tried look a bit more assuring as Roland and Isamu moved their attention back to the large screens.

"It's nothing really, I promise. It's just that sometimes fans get a little over-excited and, uh-oh … fight at my CapMon building!"

The teenager pointed to one of the screens the same time that Roland began speaking into his earpiece and two more security personnel ran from the underground room. A group of people on the screen had just devolved into a thumping match as the crowd pushed closer. Even before the two security-team members had climbed the metal stairs, a handful of their colleagues had appeared on the screen and broken the fight up, escorting the participants away.

"Mokuba, some help?"

She had missed the look exchanged between Roland and Isamu as the second-in-command tossed a head-piece Mokuba's way. Smiling and nodding, the youngster donned the radio and started watching the screens. Roland on the other hand, had relinquished his place before the monitors and offered her a small smile as he pulled the earwig from his ear.

"Take a seat, Ms. Ashbrook. I'm afraid we could be here quite a while. Isamu, tell Rin to close the entrance gates and monitor the exits - only when we fall below half-capacity is she to let more people in."

Isamu nodded at the order and began talking into his earwig as Mokuba watched another screen. Sitting down, Kisara didn't like the idea of being under the ground for that long, let alone without a clue what was going on. Her stomach was still paining her and she wanted nothing more than to curl up and sleep. But if Roland said she needed to be here, then there was no questioning that.

He took a few seconds to watch Isamu and Mokuba handling the surveillance before he took Mokuba's empty seat. Eying the keyboard before him, Roland touched a few keys and brought up a number of windows on a smaller screen.

"Please keep in mind that it only takes one or two bad apples to ruin a barrel … but a small number of Duel Monsters fans have been brought to our attention by social media sites, their language and intentions not at all pleasing."

Indicating the screen, Roland slid his chair to the side a foot or two, allowing her better access to the posts he had brought up. Twitter, Facebook and countless others she didn't recognise popped up along with strangers she had never even set eyes on before. And all of them had taken a great dislike to her for some reason. Apparently Seto was engaged to some woman in North America and an Italian girl had claimed him as her _baby_ … the list went on and on, none of it getting any better for her. There were a few men who had notions amongst themselves on how to show her a good time, but Kisara closed those windows. As bad as the men were, it was the females who were utterly vitriolic. According to these so-called fans she was fat, ugly, whoever Mary Sue was and a gold-digger to boot. One particularly scathing comment really got to her.

"Bitch, I am _not_ a slut …"

It was only as Roland choked back a laugh that Kisara remembered where she was and blushed a deep red; even Mokuba and Isamu were looking at her now and all she could do was shrug her shoulders.

"W-well I'm not …"

Roland chuckled and nodded his head as he closed the rest of the windows on the screen. No, that was a word he hated. Promiscuous or not, no young lady should ever be called such a name and it was a sticking-point of his.

"You see why we thought it safer for you down here, Ms. Ashbrook. KaibaLand is beyond capacity today and we can only keep tabs on so many. This also brings me neatly onto another point I must cover with you. We should have done this weeks ago, but time didn't allow. In the event that something sinister should ever happen or that the security-team are too slow in response, I would very much like you to be tutored in self-defence and other protocols. Not at the moment, but very soon and I promise it won't be anything you can't handle. Is that agreeable?"

Roland smiled as Kisara blushed again and nodded her head, if a bit unsure. She was still very nervous, and he couldn't blame her for that given today's happenings, but she had definitely grown a lot since the day he had found her in woods. He was just happy Mokuba hadn't let slip about his few captures as a child and how he had been trained to deal with them. Things had been different then with KaibaCorp a bit unstable and every other villain taking a shot at the heir. But the company was a lot more resilient and reliable now, the same as its owner. If there was one thing Roland knew for sure, it was that Mr. Kaiba would waste no time in crushing anyone who treaded just a little too close to his business or family.

* * *

Something felt off.

That was the only thing Seto could register as he stared up at the ceiling of his bedroom. It was still dark outside and his arm was dead. That didn't bug him too much as he flexed his fingers and willed blood back into the limb; his arm usually went dead when Kisara used it as a pillow. A light bulb went off in his mind at that thought and he sat up in a hurry; where was she?

Light was spilling from the ajar door of his en-suite. Shaking his arm to rid it of the pins-and-needles, Seto yawned and glanced at the clock; wow, so this was what three in the morning looked like. Normally he'd be asleep or in his study at this ungodly hour. Staring up at the ceiling, he took a few seconds to try and somehow get a grip on what had to be done when morning did come. He had a meeting with the board of officials tomorrow afternoon to discuss the new building in East Domino and the next tier of the tournament was being drawn at first light to try and deter people from gathering at KaibaLand to watch the drawing of the three semi-final duels. Things had turned ugly yesterday with way too many people in the amusement park for his liking.

Yawning again, Seto made to lie back down and grab a few more hours of sleep, but a sound stopped him dead; more of a cry than anything else.

"Kisara?"

No answer; that put him more on edge. Not giving the warm bed another thought, Seto headed for the en-suite; something just wasn't right - he'd heard that sound somewhere before, ages ago, but he just couldn't put his finger on when exactly. Pushing the door open, he blinked against the light and lost track of his bearing for a second.

"Kisara?"

"Something's … wrong!"

Her tone of voice was enough to confirm his off-kilter feeling. Sitting on the bathroom floor, Kisara looked up with tears in her eyes as she clutched her stomach; her abdomen was on fire with a sharp pain above her right hipbone. What she had thought had been an iffy stomach had only gotten worse. The ache around her navel had disappeared, replaced by the stabbing pain that had kept her awake most of the night. She hadn't felt well at all yesterday, but things had been so hectic at KaibaLand …

One look at the toilet bowl told a story of its own, along with the vomit that hadn't made the aim. Crouching down, Seto placed a hand on her forehead and reclaimed it as quick; she was burning up. He was no doctor, but this shouted of something more than a bad batch of sushi with Kato.

"Okay … "

Kisara ground her teeth together as a few more tears raced to her chin. Cursing himself, Seto slid an arm under her knees, the other behind her back and lifted her from the cold floor. Tomorrow's meeting and the morning draw was gone completely from his mind as he walked back into the bedroom and found the light-switch. Kisara looked even worse as he lowered her onto the bed and grabbed her clothes from last night; a loose pair of combats and one of his hoodies. Finding a small bit of strength to dress herself, Seto turned on his fiancée and grabbed a pair of tracksuit bottoms for himself and a tee. He was kicking himself as he grabbed his keys and phone off the bedside table - she had complained of an upset stomach at dinner with Kato and he had thought nothing of it.

"Ah!"

Turning at the sound, he caught her as she doubled over and lifted her bridal-style again. There wasn't much very bridal about the situation though as she cried out again; walking was definitely out of the question as he kicked on a pair of trainers and exited the bedroom. The house was in utter darkness but he'd walked it at night enough times to know the way. Even Kai seemed to sense the urgency as she stayed in her basket in the foyer and whined.

No fresh snow had fallen outside as Seto pressed a small button on one of the keyrings. It took a second or two, but one of the garage doors slid up and another pressed button lit up the indicators of the front vehicle and unlocked the doors.

The drive from the mansion to Domino's hospital seemed instantaneous, a chunk of missing time that encompassed dark secondary roads, gear-shifts and the city streets that still buzzed despite the ungodly hour. But ask him how many lights and stop signs he had yielded to, Seto had no clue as he walked through the Accident and Emergency door of the hospital. The waiting room was chock-full of people with ailments ranging from a bloody nose to one man with his shoulder in a completely wrong position. A nurse looked up to exchange a friendly smile with him.

Props to the woman, she was around the admission desk in a heartbeat as Kisara cried out again and writhed in towards his chest. A beeper in one hand and a stethoscope around her neck, she sent a message and then looked up at him, not a hint in her eyes that she recognised him.

"What seems to be the problem?"

"Severe pain in her stomach, she can't walk."

The nurse nodded at his words and rested a hand on Kisara's forehead, frowning as she did so. Suddenly Seto wished he had called Toshi; he'd have a much better clue of what was wrong or could at least explain it better to the doctors.

"How long has it been present? Any vomiting?"

Kisara managed to nod her head in regards to the second question and mumbled out a quiet answer to the first.

"About two days … on and off."

"Only bad recently?"

The nurse reminded him a lot of Rin with her straight to-the-point questions and she spared no time for the other patients in the waiting room as they whispered amongst themselves and watched intently. Seto could have even sworn he'd seen someone with a phone pointed at them. The phone disappeared as a doctor marched into the room, a serious-looking man with an impatient air. As he and the nurse traded a few hushed words, Seto shifted Kisara's weight in his arms and tried to catch any snippet of what they were saying. He hated being useless.

"If you'd come this way, Mr. Kaiba. The walls have ears …"

The doctor offered the attentive patients a glance before gesturing through some swinging doors. Seto needed no second-telling about that and followed as the nurse held the doors open for him and her younger colleague snapped at someone with a phone - if they were well enough to take a picture, they were well enough to go home apparently.

The doctor and nurse led him on what seemed a game of chase as they walked to the end of a corridor, across another waiting room and finally through into an empty room. Lowering Kisara to the bed, he let the doctor steer him away as the nurse smiled at Kisara and complimented her bracelet. She pressed down on her stomach and Seto felt the hairs stand up on his neck as Kisara cried out. The doctor and nurse exchanged a look between them.

"Mrs. Kaiba-"

"I do believe she's still Ms. Ashbrook, doctor."

The nurse offered Kisara an apologetic smile as she spoke, somehow trying to stay cheery. Even the doctor smiled as he shook his head.

"My apologies. It would seem you're presenting with all the signs of acute appendicitis and I have a surgery team prepped … that said, we must take into account your age and explore the possibilities of an ectopic pregnancy. Nurse, if you would get the ultrasound-"

"Why d-does everyone think … I'm pregnant- ah!"

Grinding her teeth again, Kisara tried to roll on to her side; anything to ease the pain at this rate. If one more person assumed she was pregnant, she would snap. It was nearly laughable - anything for a headline.

"Oh no, dear. It's just appendicitis and an ectopic pregnancy have very similar symptoms in women, I meant nothing by it."

The doctor wasn't as impatient as he had first come across, his tone friendly as the nurse returned with a machine on a wheeled trolley.

"But I can't be, I had my period less than two weeks ago …"

"It's not uncommon for menstruation to continue when the embryo implants outside of the uterus. Now if you'd just lie back, Ms. Ashbrook."

Kisara hadn't noticed herself sitting forward so much but what she did notice was how her heart skipped a beat; pregnancy was something she wasn't remotely ready for. Periods aside, she just couldn't be pregnant - they'd used protection and that was that.

"But we used pr-"

"Kisara …"

Her abdomen gave another sharp stab as Seto spoke. He'd been quiet since they entered this room and hadn't said a word until now as she freaked out on her own. But there was something in his flat tone that made her pay attention.

"The tournament launch. We didn't that night."

The nurse was pulling up the hem of her hoody as Kisara tried to recall New Year's Eve and felt panic take root in her chest. She could remember everything about that night, the dark scenes of a falling dress and discarded shirt emblazoned in her mind. No. They'd been too excited at the prospect of not being interrupted to think. To think of common sense.

"Oh Seto …"

Looking up in realization, she was relieved to see him right beside her now. The nurse spread a cold jelly on her stomach with a handheld thing, but it was the woman pushing down that Kisara felt the most and cried out. A hand had found hers and somewhere between wiping away a few tears and gritting her teeth, she looked to the grainy black-and-white screen and prayed for appendicitis.

The minute or two it took the nurse and doctor to have a satisfactory search seemed to stretch for an age, but eventually the calm doctor muttered to the nurse and she headed for the door, ushering in a couple more people and machines.

"What's happ- ah!"

The doctor was talking to Seto now, both of their voices hushed and low with only a few words floating past her; _rupture_, _toxins_, _peritonitis_. A woman was looking down at her, younger than the nurse, and smiling as she explained what would happen next. Before she even had time to answer the woman, a mask was being placed over her mouth and the pretty new nurse was raising fingers as she counted.

_One_.

_Two_.

_Three_.

But she didn't want to fall asleep now, not yet. The nurse swam in front of her eyes.

_Four_.

No. She'd never had surgery before. What if something happened that could never un-happen? Kisara tried to lift her hands and move the mask, but her limbs suddenly weighed too much, her strength completely gone.

_Five_.

She should tell Seto. Tell him what she had told Zigfried when he asked the question. Zigfried's face appeared before her but melted away in a dark haze. He had asked her if she was happy in an arranged-marriage and then he had asked her if she loved Seto. What if she didn't wake up? The nurse held up a sixth finger as the dark haze grew and her eyelids lowered and closed.

* * *

Seto eyed the closed file with a look of disgust. The same doctor, Dr. Arai, had approached him only an hour ago with the infamous files. They had operated on Kisara with minimal knowledge on her medical history. Some Dr. Laroche in France was reluctant to send the files to Japan and had only done so when threatened with legal action. Dr. Arai had quietly explained what the list of reports could mean and left it at that, without adding to the conjecture.

Domestic abuse. The words were as empty-sounding in his head as they seemed written on the paper; they were merely a fancy name for cowardice.

He had tried to sleep a few times, but Seto found that his mind just sprinted back to her medical history. It was no wonder the French doctor had been reluctant to release her files; the man had helped to cover it all up for an age.

But why had he hit her? That was the part Seto couldn't force himself to understand. He'd been on the receiving-end of a bully in his lifetime, one punch had even knocked him down the stairs and broken his collarbone. But Gozaburo had possessed a very short temper and Seto knew he'd had a big mouth as a child. He had tested his step-father's patience on more than a couple of occasions until the limit was found … and then he had tested that limit every now and again. But he had only been a child back then and had blamed himself for a long time; maybe he hadn't studied enough. Maybe if he learned off that other business-model, or if he could just pin down those grammar points in one night?

That had gone on until the day Gozaburo had broken his collarbone and refused to take him to the hospital. Rin had been fired that day. After that, Roland had taught him how to avoid a fist and turn it against the old man.

If there was one thing Seto would never forget, it was the look of shock on Gozaburo Kaiba's face when he had dodged a blow and shoved the bully to the ground. He had looked so old, sprawled on the upstairs carpet with his mouth agape like a Koi out of water.

_You won__'__t hit me again._

He hadn't. And Hobson stopped using his canes and switches when his student had caught one mid-strike and thrown it across the library one afternoon.

Bullies.

Above all others, they were the one thing Seto despised most. The older boys in the orphanage, his step-father, Hobson, the Big Five, Dartz. They had all tried to beat him down or take his company by force and he had outwitted them all over the years, sometimes with help and the darker foes on his own merit.

But to think of Kisara in his position made something horrible twist in chest. She panicked under the gaze of a new person, never mind a physical blow. He'd flicked through her files countless times now and the scrawled handwriting never mentioned anything of the inflictor, but Seto knew who it had to be - there was something more than simple instinct telling him.

He fought a yawn as he checked his watch and looked to her, still asleep. His fiancée: the person he looked forward to seeing every day. She was the one thing he thought he'd never have - his Kisara. And now someone was threatening her, had hurt her before, and he wasn't quite sure what to do about it.

He had no proof it was Jonathon who had broken her arm when she was twelve, or cracked her rib a few weeks later, and who was to say that her black eye at thirteen hadn't been caused by fall from a horse? He knew how this sordid thing worked; money spoke volumes to people and so did fear - those were the first two lessons he had learned in the corporate world. He could set Roland and Rin searching for information, a little threat here and a bribe there would do it. But he didn't need proof; all he had to do was keep Kisara away from her uncle, surely that would be simple enough? She had rarely mentioned him since arriving in Japan and had never expressed a wish to see her family … but what if she did? He couldn't just say no and give no reason; he'd be the villain then.

The hero-role never had suited him, but the young man was sick and tired of being penned into the bad-guy corner the whole time, especially with all his recent good deeds. A little birdy on the Domino City council had let it slip that Vivian Wong would be heading back to China after the dueling tournament if she couldn't secure a work-visa for Japan within the next fortnight. So he had lowered the asking-price for the small KaibaCorp retail outlet on the high-street and had leased it to her family's jewellery business; visa sorted.

Yawning again, Seto clumsily knocked the medical files and his phone to the ground; he had to get some sleep before that meeting with the officials tomorrow or else he'd snap at someone. Kisara stirred and Seto left his phone where it was on the floor, watching as her eyes blinked open and smiling before he even realized it.

"Hey …"

The dark blue eyes took a few seconds to focus but they found him nonetheless, absolute confusion in them as she tried to speak; the breathing tube had probably left her throat raw. Leaning forward in the uncomfortable chair, he pushed her fringe out of her eyes and frowned a little as her fingers found his and held on tight. Those dark eyes were asking him countless questions now; where was she? What had happened?

"It's okay, Kisara. Your appendix ruptured, they operated but you'll have to stay in for a few days …"

Seto tried to sound calm, that nothing too worrying had happened and that he knew everything would be fine. But it wasn't - things could have gone a lot worse if they'd taken any longer getting to the hospital and what about the pregnancy-scare? He hadn't even spared a thought that night, much too preoccupied exploring her body to take responsibility. What if it hadn't been her appendix? He could have easily endangered her life and their chances of ever having children in the future.

She let go of his hand and turned a little in the bed, wincing in pain, but the young woman was too tired to stay awake; pain and copious amounts of medication were running away with her consciousness, off to a befuddled land with the caterpillar monster and a white dragon. She had wanted to say something before the operation, just in case, but the nurse had placed that mask over her mouth and everything had gone black. That one clear thought now bypassed her brain and forced its way through her assaulted vocal chords in a drowsy grumble.

"Seto … I love you …"

She was in the land of nod after the last word. But that was enough. If he could have run from the room, Seto would have - those were the words he had been avoiding for months and he found himself frozen in the chair, waiting for her eyes to open and look at him, to silently question why he wasn't saying them back to her. Even his conscience was asking that question, demanding an answer he didn't have. He couldn't say them. If he did then it would all shatter and he'd be left back in the blur his life had been. If he loved her, then that meant she was a target and not just for idiotic fangirls and sinister corporate opponents, but a target for fate to play as a pawn and he didn't want that. He'd already had such a fucked-up life, it wasn't fair anymore. His mother had once told him that everyone in the world had their fair-share of bad luck to be experienced throughout life … well he was calling bullshit on that now; he'd suffered miles more than his own helping of crap luck and it was about time life fucked off and let him be.

His hand found hers again and Seto shook his head with a sad smirk; he honestly thought love was beyond him. Sure he loved Mokuba, but that was different and the last time he had loved Kisara she had ended up the victim, hell she already had crazed 'fans' of his threatening her well-being.

"I'm way too damaged for this … and I wish _so much _I could say that back to you …"

Kisara was too far gone into a groggy and drugged-up sleep to even register his strained words and that was one thing Seto gave a silent thanks for. He wouldn't have to see her eyes full of pity for him or relentless understanding; she had every right to be angry with him and call him out on it, but she wouldn't and he knew that.

But what the young man didn't know was that he wasn't totally unheard in the quiet hospital room. The machines didn't care for the admission and continued on with their apathetic beeping and monitoring, the nurses in hallway were too giddy at the prospect of seeing Seto Kaiba to even contemplate eavesdropping and Kisara fell from her spiked platform yet again in a muddled nightmare. The one listener in the room was invisible to the couple as he shook his head sadly and willed the pretences of this life to abate.

Seth had been afraid to tell her he loved her the last time, a Priest with no father or lineage to pronounce. And he dared say Seto Kaiba had had a worse life than his predecessor, but Shadi bit his tongue and watched as sleep won the battle with Seto. Damage was something that could be repaired.

* * *

**A/n- Thanks a million for taking the time to read through it guys and let me know what you thought!**

**Note:** "_Paper Roses"_ will be turning four-years-old on the 19th of February 2013 and I just wanted to say a huge, huge thanks for sticking with me for sooo long! Also, sorry for only managing four chapters in a year and I promise this year will be more exciting on the Seto and Kisara front! xxxx


	40. Conflict

**Author's Note:** I missed my two-week target by a day! Still, that's pretty fast for me, huh? I got such a lovely response for the last chapter both on here and on Tumblr that I got straight onto the next one. And I'd like to thank everyone for their lovely reviews and messages and anyone who didn't get a reply, I'm very sorry - you guys aren't logged-in and I can't PM guests unfortunately. :( Thanks again goes to** Renolvr** and her constant correcting of me and reassurance on characters!

* * *

_I lie awake here just to watch you breathe_.

* * *

She loved attention, especially when it was centred on her. A critical eye would probably link that personality trait to China's one-child policy, but Vivian Wong didn't need any hypothesis to defend her self-importance. She had absolutely no problem admitting she liked to be the loudest person in a room purely for the fun of it and she conceded how egotistical it made her seem; she _did_ have a big ego and she liked it that way. Cameras were her toys and the photographers behind them were mere puppets she could control by staring down their lenses. A turn to the left or right had them falling over themselves to imitate her. She liked seeing her picture in the media, reading about herself and Vivian had never been a girl to shy away from questions. She had even appeared on countless television chat-shows at home in China and had revelled in every second of it.

But those same cameras she loved were annoying her to no end this morning, all of them pointed in her face and she had no answers to give. Vivian didn't mind letting slip the odd fact about her to those who asked, an anecdote or two every so often, but she kept her head down and barged through the interrogating mob in front of Domino's hospital. They didn't want to know about her or any little tales she had; they wanted news on Kisara. They wanted confirmation of her pregnancy, her due-date, just how far along she was, the revised date for the Kaiba wedding … and Vivian had no answers for those questions.

Domino City had woken to the breaking news that Kisara Ashbrook had been rushed to hospital in the early hours. A singular picture had been sold to the papers and they were running with it. Low-quality and probably from a mobile phone of some kind, the picture was still clear enough to make out Kaiba holding Kisara in his arms. Had it not been for that crappy picture, Vivian would have laughed off the rumours and claimed the title of godmother for the fictional baby … hell even with the picture she would have giggled at the poor photoshop attempt. But Kisara had been complaining about her stomach when they were ice-skating and doubt had gotten the better of her. A call to the hospital had been short and terse - the nurse confirmed she had been named on a list of sanctioned visitors but no more answers had followed; apparently medical situations weren't permitted to be discussed on vulnerable phone-lines.

Elbowing past the final camera that was shoved in her face and walking past the hulking security-men, Vivian kept her silence up and entered the relative calmness of Domino's hospital. It was still early, the sun not even risen yet, but the large lobby already had a number of people buzzing about. Two women rolled up the shutter of the small shop in the corner, another security man half-ran past her to help his colleagues outside as a doctor sprinted from one door and straight to another. She hated hospitals.

Heaving a sigh and feeling her skin crawl, Vivian strode to the reception desk and felt the urge to congratulate the young man on how awake he seemed given the unsociable hour. She only had to mention her name before the chatty man smiled and checked a clipboard.

"You'll want the private wards on the tenth floor. Straight down the corridor over there to the lifts and then the first right when you get to floor 10."

Mumbling what she hoped sounded like a grateful thanks, Vivian followed his instructions to the letter; she was in no mood to dilly-dally and ogle the extremely attractive doctor that passed her in the corridor, though that white coat did have a certain appeal. When the elevator doors slid closed, she tried to get her head around what could have happened her to friend last night. Even KaibaCorp were remaining silent on the matter right now, something that spoke volumes for their public-relations section. Kaiba's representatives had never been slow to weigh-in on any and all matters over the years. Anything from the purchase of a building, the end of a short-lived fling to the headline about Kisara and Ziggy a few weeks ago; the PR people were employed to deal with the public and they did just that with swift ease. So how come they hadn't uttered a single word on this new rumour before it spread like wildfire? The only official announcement so far had been one of no comment and Vivian had an inkling why - they didn't know what to say. Even the professionals were in the dark about this hospital-dash.

"Going down, miss?"

Blinking, Vivian shook herself and found a middle-aged doctor looking at her, his fingers hovering over the button panel for her answer. Glancing out the open elevator doors, she saw a sign for the tenth floor and shook her head with a small smile as she stepped from the lift.

"No, sorry. This is my stop."

"Well then, I hope your visit isn't a sad one."

The doors had slid closed by the time she looked back at the doctor with a wry smile - she hoped that too. The lobby downstairs almost seemed busy compared to this sleeping ward as Vivian took the first right and found herself staring at a nurses' station. Walking up to the tired woman behind the desk, she fought down a yawn before speaking.

"I'm here to see Kisara Ashbrook."

"Name?"

"Vivian Wong …"

The nurse, little more than a kid fresh from college, scanned her eye down a blue clipboard before nodding and handing the clipboard over with a pen.

"If you could just sign this for us, Ms. Wong, and sign it again on the way out?"

Nodding dumbly, Vivian took the pen and paper and penned her name on it along with the time, barely noticing her name listed below the _Family_ heading. She had thought maybe Kisara had okayed her for visits at some point of the night, but she didn't recognise the handwriting as her friend's at all. Handing back the clipboard as she noticed the other names on the list, Vivian fought another yawn.

"If you'd like to follow me?"

The nurse tired to hide a yawn of her own as she led the way down a sterile corridor; these night-shifts were really going to be her downfall someday. Vivian tried to memorise the way they'd come; down to the end of another corridor and the last door on the right. The girl opened the door and left her with one more friendly smile before disappearing.

Stepping into the room, Vivian closed the door quietly behind her and gave a second scanning the area. It was obvious the room was privately paid for; none of the open wards she had passed had the small two-seater couch pushed against the wall, the television in the corner or the large window with a view across Domino City. Even the two armchairs either side of the hospital bed seemed a luxury. But none of those things bothered her as she claimed the unoccupied chair to the left of Kisara's bed and felt a lump rise in her throat; this was real and her friend was actually in hospital. She wanted to ask what had happened last night, to find out the true story once and for all, not the countless rumours flying about. But Kisara was out for the count and she didn't dare disturb the one other witness. Sitting in the chair on the other side of Kisara's bed with his head leaning against the wall in what had to be an uncomfortable position was the one and only Seto Kaiba.

He didn't look all that intimidating when he was asleep with a phone, set of keys and a brown envelope abandoned on the bed in front of him. The tracksuit and t-shirt threw her off-guard a little and Viv could quite understand why Kisara loved being in those toned arms the more she looked at them. Hit with the sudden sense she was intruding, Vivian picked up Kisara's file just to have something to distract her.

Though she'd never admit it, she actually liked butting heads with Kaiba and getting the odd insult in, but seeing him so unguarded made her feel like a sneak, poking her nose into something private. The Kaiba she knew was arrogant and a bit of a jerk if she was being honest, but the guy asleep in the chair across from her made the young woman doubt herself. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all, but that was definitely a side of him reserved for other people and she didn't want to intrude on that.

Flicking through Kisara's files, she could feel anger starting to swell. She had seen these medical reports before, back when Kisara had started ice-skating in China. Well, her friend hadn't wanted to go skating but she had dragged her along regardless … only to end the day with what had been a very badly sprained ankle. Even as a teenager, Kisara's medical history had been tightly guarded by her doctor in France and had taken hours for him to transfer to China. All he had needed to do was send an attachment with an email or even fax the things through, but Dr. Reluctant had spent five hours rattling off excuses to not send the files; couldn't they just treat her without the paperwork? The prospect of an allergic reaction to painkillers or any other medication had been too real and the Chinese doctor had threatened to sue him with endangerment if they didn't get the information within twenty minutes. They had gotten the files then and she had also gotten a dinner-date with the _very_ attractive doctor …

_Bruises, a couple of black-eyes, three cracked ribs, a broken arm, four concussions, a broken nose and a severely sprained wrist_. That had been the horrible extent of her files three years ago, the list having been added to since. She had only seen the reports for a couple of minutes back then, but Vivian never had any trouble remembering the stark words. The same doctor had explained what he could surmise from the incidents, his hypothesis further proved by Kisara's silence on the matter. She had only been a sixteen-year-old kid back then and it had taken over a week of constant hinting for Vivian to drag an answer out the European, but that small crack in Kisara's stubbornness was all she had needed. The girl had come clean about everything then, from her tragic cousin to her martyr of an aunt and everything else in-between. They had only known each other for maybe a month then, but the two had become fast friends afterwards - Kisara moved in with her and the girl's hair had slowly grown out the blonde to stick with her natural colour. She would never ever be a rebel in the conventional sense, but Kisara had definitely had a bit of an experimental stage while in China; the kid had gotten two tattoos, studied Egyptian just because she wanted to and had also had her first two serious relationships, all under the tutelage of one Ms. Wong. But word of the rich heiress being romanced in far-away China had reached certain ears in France and Kisara was recalled to Europe just after her seventeenth birthday. Staring at the longer list of injuries, Vivian felt like an idiot; she should have went after her, or at least tried harder to keep in touch. Her initial phone-calls were all answered by a man's voice and he had hung-up on her each time she had asked for Kisara. Her friend's hair had never been dyed again, but heaven knew the girl had probably suffered for her fun in China.

"It was her uncle, wasn't it?"

She swore aloud and dropped the files. If KaibaCorp ever went nose-down, its owner could always have a career in scaring the shit out of people. Snatching the damning file back up from the ground, Vivian looked back to Kaiba with every intention of telling him to mind his own business but stopped herself short; it _was_ his business now. It wasn't just her responsibility to look out for Kisara and as much as she liked having a sort-of little sister, Kaiba was part of her life too. A big part of it.

"Yes, but please don't say anything to her."

Vivian knew just how stupid her words sounded and the disbelieving look Kaiba sent her was one she expected. Sighing and shaking her head, she placed the files back on the end of the bed and watched Kisara sleeping for a few seconds.

"She didn't tell you herself and you know as well as I do how she clams up if she's pushed. She should have told you, but when have you ever heard her talk about France?"

She expected to be told where to shove her advice, or even told to leave the hospital room. If it was any other person, then Vivian knew tackling the problem head-on would be the best plan; a saving intervention. The only problem with that was Kisara herself - she had tried to call her out on the abuse in China and the teenager hadn't spoken for four days, even trying to pack her bags and fly home. But Kaiba didn't sneer at her and tell her to leave, instead he heaved a sigh and sat forward in the chair.

Shaking pins-and-needles from his cramped arm, Seto nodded his head; she was telling him the truth no matter how little he liked it. How many times had Kisara clammed up about her life in France? Or at least he had thought France was her trigger, but hindsight was hitting him over the head with the answer now; anytime she had blushed and shrunk away from the conversation had been to do with Jonathon. The day she had arrived in Japan - he had asked about her piano-playing and had been met with a stuttered answer of her uncle being her instructor. When he'd been teaching her how to play Duel Monsters - the topic of life-points and memories of her childhood had sent her careening into another blush. The signs had been there since the very start and he'd overlooked them for months, even her blatant fear of returning to France for that subpoena had slid under his radar.

Picking at her nail out of awkwardness, Vivian felt sorry for Kaiba being dumped with all this information at once - at least she'd had most of a week to tease the information from Kisara, though she could have just as easily drawn blood from a stone back then.

"You know, maybe it's not as bad as it seems … I mean, some of those bruises could easily be from falling off of her horse or-"

"Don't try to defend him, Vivian. Excuses only cover it up for so long."

The way his hand idly itched at his collarbone gave her a horrible feeling in her stomach. Stories about Gozaburo Kaiba had long been circling the business world of Asia; he had been a feared military power a couple of decades ago and countries had all pandered to the man's ego in a bid to win favour with him. Her father had been responsible for crafting the man's wedding rings for himself and his wife and she had learned to eavesdrop at a very young age. Her parents had talked a lot about the new boys he'd adopted, but the conversations had quickly degenerated from glowing appraisals of the polite orphans to pitying whispers of the older one. And a few years later news had spread about Gozaburo's suicide at the KaibaCorp building, the papers immediately pointing the finger at the new owner of the company and his part in the tragedy. Many had blamed the pressures of losing his company for the man's death, but quite a few tabloids ran rumours of a darker origin that did beg a raised eyebrow

"That sounds a bit like experience to me …"

"Sounds like hearsay to me."

When he yawned and flashed a small smile that dared her for more questions about himself, Vivian felt her own mouth twitching into a smile; he wasn't going to give her a straight answer no matter what she asked. He was probably as good as Kisara when it came to dodging personal inquiries. Instead she yawned and nodded back to her sleeping friend.

"What actually happened? You should see the stories flying about; someone managed to get a picture of you two last night."

Mumbling something about nosey bastards, Seto yawned and stretched in his chair; he hadn't intended to fall asleep at all and now half of his backside was numb, his legs were cramped and he felt twice as tired.

"Her appendix ruptured-"

Anything else was cut off by a yawn. Drawing her knees up to her chin, Vivian hid a yawn of her own and looked Kisara's fiancé up and down. Any other time, she would have appreciated how fitted his tee was, how the casual tracksuit bottoms suited him or even the mess his hair was, but all she could see right now was how tired he looked.

"You look like hell."

"Right back at you."

She smiled at that and shook her head at the instant reply.

"Seriously though, you look like crap. How much sleep did you get?"

Seto shrugged his shoulders and looked about the room for any hint of the time but no clock presented itself to him and the mornings were always dark this far into winter.

"What time is it?"

"Almost eight."

An hour, that was all the sleep he'd managed between flitting nurses and a return visit from Dr. Arai. Once or twice he'd gotten the feeling of being watched, but had pinned that down to giggling nurses in the hallway outside. Turning over his phone, Seto ticked off another item on his mental list of things that were going wrong for him; the battery was dead.

"Look, you should go home and get some more sleep. I'll stay and keep an eye on her, I'll call you if she wakes up."

Tucking short strands of hair behind her ear, Vivian tried to sound sincere. She meant her words, but it was so hard to suppress the sarcastic tone her voice took on when she spoke to him. It was only fair; he'd been up all night and looked like absolute shit. She actually felt relieved when Kaiba slowly nodded his head and reached for the bunch of keys on the bed. He picked up the pen and little notepad on the small table beside his chair and wrote something down before handing the little note her way.

"Thanks, call me or text me when she wakes and I'll come-"

"Yeah yeah, I will. Now go away and have a shower and try to look respectable Kaiba-poo!"

Taking the paper, Vivian waved her hand and nodded her head with a smile; she felt like a babysitter being told the emergency numbers were on the fridge. Pulling her chair closer to the bed, she pulled the blanket up a bit on her friend. Even if becoming a godmother was out of the question, she still had someone to watch over. Looking over her shoulder before he disappeared from the room, Vivian thought a warning would only be fair.

"Seto, heads-up on a crowd of photographers around the front of the hospital."

Swinging the bunch of keys around his finger, Seto nodded and pulled the door closed behind him. She probably should have warned him about the smaller group of paparazzi stalking the A&E entrance at the back of the building too, but he needed something to keep him awake. Yawning again, the duelist rubbed sleep from her eyes and drew her knees back up to her chin. Kaiba wasn't all that bad after all and she wasn't as dumb as he thought either. How convenient that KaibaCorp's small retail outlet on the high-street had suddenly lowered its lease-price and the agent had contacted her personally. Domino council had even expedited her visa-application already, but if he wasn't saying anything, then neither was she.

Unfolding the small note, Vivian laughed to herself. Kaiba had definitely changed for the better alright, and she held the proof of that in her hands. Written on the page was a mobile phone number and a clear _Call me! _beside it. Any other woman in her shoes would have been elated to hold Seto Kaiba's personal phone number and a demand of contact, but she was laughing for a whole other reason. The neat handwriting rang a bell in her memory and it took her a few seconds to place it; the list of sanctioned visitors the nurse had shown her had been written by the same hand. Seto had listed her as Kisara's family.

* * *

"What am I supposed to tell them?"

"What do you _think_, Rin?!"

Losing what little patience he had left, Mokuba turned and pinned Rin with a look that was half-way between pleading and disbelief. She had asked him that four times already and his answer had been to reiterate a simple _no comment_. Nodding her head hurriedly, the secretary let rip at the person on the other end of the phone, directing her own seething temper at the nosey idiot. So far all official KaibaCorp press-releases from their official website, Facebook page, Twitter account and any other outlets had been one of an blatant _no comment_. Catching a glimpse of red-and-white streaking across the foyer, Mokuba pointed to the basket in the corner.

"Kai, bed now!"

Hearing the stern note in her owner's voice, Kai slunk back to her basket and grumpily curled up out of the way of stomping feet. Isamu passed with a contingent of security staff and disappeared out the front door in a blur. Two interns scampered across the marble floor with their heads low and even Rin was giving him a reproachful look. Sighing, Mokuba shrugged his shoulders and tried to flash an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry, it's just a bit …"

Trailing off, he ran a hand through his hair and tried to come up with a plan for the day. There was no way to make that meeting with the officials, survey the updated plans for the Duel Academy _and_ meet with the contractor for their new development in east Domino without somehow splitting himself three or four ways.

"I can stay and help if you want, Mr. Kaiba?"

Smiling despite himself, Mokuba seriously considered Roland's suggestion; the man always called him by Seto's title when he was filling in for his brother. As much as he would love to take the offer and send Roland to one meeting, Mokuba needed to ration what people he had left at his disposal. Checking his watch and seeing it past the hour, he shook his head.

"No Roland, I need you in KaibaLand to draw the next tier of duels. You should probably get going now anyway."

Roland nodded and offered a bow along with a flitting smile of approval; the youngster wasn't that much unlike his brother. Turning back to Rin, he thought about sending her to the meeting with the officials, knowing the men were a bit afraid of her, but common sense won out again - he needed her to deal with the press. If the responsibility fell to him, Mokuba had no doubt he would say something he shouldn't. Then again, there wasn't much he could say; no one in the mansion had a clue what had taken place last night.

He had woken to his phone buzzing and Rin's voice had assaulted his groggy hearing, demanding he wake his brother _now_ and tell him to switch his phone on. So Mokuba had dutifully pulled himself from bed and more or less sleep-walked to Seto's room, banging on the door and apologising at the same time. The only problem was that neither Seto nor Kisara had been in the room; no one had been in the bed for a while judging by how tossed it was. Further inspection showed Seto's keys missing, along with the black jeep he favoured. And then the press had started calling KaibaCorp and asking questions they didn't have answers to. The morning's papers all sported the same image of Seto holding Kisara in his arms and a pregnancy rumour was circling around them constantly. The only problem was that no one could deny it; nobody had an iota of why the couple had been at the hospital and why both of them were still on the missing list. People were putting his short temper down to the stress of dealing with KaibaCorp, but Mokuba knew exactly why everyone seemed overly-annoying this morning - he didn't know where his brother was, he was worried about him and Kisara and no one was doing a very good job of finding answers for him. Kai's ears perked and she was across the foyer before he could stop her. Taking a breath to order the husky back to bed, Mokuba let it out again and felt a wave of relief hit him as a familiar figure reappeared in the foyer.

Crouching down to placate Kai, Seto gave the dog's ears a ruffle and yawned as he straightened again. He didn't have energy to count how many people were staring at him right now, but he guessed it was most of the mansion. Aki kicked Akari back into action as she spotted their employer looking their way and the two nervous interns scurried after the maids; Mokuba may have been in a bad mood, but his brother looked about ready to snap at anyone. The wise people quickly evacuated the lobby as their boss walked towards the kitchen, not wanting their heads on the chopping block. All but one.

"Where have you been?"

Mokuba blinked at Rin's tone; she could dial it down a little. Even he was thinking twice about approaching Seto right now, but Rin never had been one for subtlety and her glaring eyes bored into the back of Seto's head until he turned around to face her. Pocketing his keys, the young man raised his eyebrows; he was sick and tired of people asking him questions they had no right to ask and all he wanted was peace and quiet for a little while and maybe catch a small bit of sleep. And what a stupid question to ask him - the papers had made sure everyone knew where he was last night. Yawning again, Seto levelled Rin with a warning look and ground out an answer.

"Disneyland."

Turning back towards the kitchen door, Mokuba caught the look his brother gave him and nodded. Following him into the kitchen, the teenager cringed as Rin lost her patience in the foyer.

"And what am I supposed to tell the press, hmm? Space Mountain was great but avoid the Cups and Saucers!"

He had never considered himself slow, but Mokuba was fast cursing his reflexes as Seto brushed past him back out into the foyer. Rin finally seemed to realise her predicament and clamped her mouth shut as Seto walked towards her. Somehow getting himself between his brother and the short woman, Mokuba pushed Seto back towards the kitchen and turned to smile at Rin.

"You tell them the same thing we've told them already. When I get a better picture of everything, I'll ring you. Cancel the meetings for today and reschedule for next week, any inquiries are to be directed to me and no one is to call Seto's phone, got it Rin?"

The portly woman nodded her head in silence and made a beeline out the front door of the mansion. Exhaling a shaky sigh, Mokuba felt sweat beading on his forehead and wiped it away before making for the kitchen again. Rin was her own worst enemy most of the time.

A smash made him rush the last few steps and barrel through the swinging door. A mug was in pieces on the floor, just one more thing he could add to his list of things going wrong. Seto had swiped the next cup off the counter before he even realised it, the ceramic smashing and skittering across the tiles as though trying to escape his anger.

Mokuba watched as his brother's breathing evened out a bit before he approached him. Grabbing a hold of Seto's t-shirt, the teenager frowned as it was jerked from his hand. Fisting his hand in the fabric tighter, Mokuba didn't let go this time even when his brother tried to jerk away again. The anger Seto could hold in eyes never failed to strike a nerve somewhere, but it wasn't fear Mokuba felt each time he saw the unguarded anger. It was pity; the only way his big brother knew how to deal with things was by being angry. Even when Seto squared-up to him, spoiling for a confrontation, Mokuba kept his calm and searched in those eyes for some flicker of his brother.

"Don't start this with me, Seto."

There it was; the little flicker that drained away the anger, like a plughole somewhere in his subconscious. Sometimes it was guilt, other times it was gratefulness, but as long as his temper was back under control Mokuba didn't care. He let go of the black t-shirt and Seto sat down on one of the chairs around the table, head in his hands. Switching on the kettle, Mokuba grabbed two mugs and closed the cupboard quietly, retrieving the sweeping brush in silence.

"I swear I'm going to fucking fire her someday …"

Sweeping the broken cups together, Mokuba nodded his head with a serious look.

"Just like last year when she called you an idiot?"

A few strained seconds crawled by. Mokuba had the sense Rin knew just how close she'd come to being fired today, and he would have gladly let Seto sack her had she been any other employee to take that tone with him. But she wasn't and the skin of her teeth had saved her job today. She had stuck up for Seto years ago and he gave her a certain leeway in return, but she could abuse that right sometimes. The broken cups chinked noisily as they were chucked into the bin.

"Sorry, Mokuba."

Chasing a rogue handle from one of the mugs, Mokuba shrugged his shoulders and smiled.

"It's fine, I never liked those mugs anyway."

The apology had absolutely nothing to do with the mugs, though he shouldn't have taken it out on them, but Mokuba knew that too and shrugged his shoulders again as he handed over a steaming mug of coffee; his brother looked like he could do with the caffeine. Catching sight of the other missing cup-handle under the table, he fired it into the bin too.

"A ruptured appendix."

Blinking at the blunt news, Mokuba dropped down into the chair across from Seto and felt concern claw at his stomach; appendicitis could get a lot more complicated when the appendix ruptured.

"Shit, is Kisara okay?"

"As good as can be expected. She woke earlier but she was still asleep when I left. Vivian's with her."

Nodding his head, Mokuba fidgeted with his own mug and tried to pinpoint what exactly had Seto in such a foul humour. He'd been through appendicitis and surgery years ago. He'd only been about six at the time, but Mokuba could clearly remember the bright paintings on the paediatric ward when he'd come to and his brother sitting diligently by his side with an orphanage chaperone beside him. No, whatever had put him in the bad mood, it wasn't just the surgery.

"So I take it I'm not going to be an uncle then?"

For a second, Mokuba thought he might have over-stepped a line, but then Seto shook his head with a small smirk.

"No, not exactly."

Scuffing his foot along the ground, Mokuba made a mental-note to pass that news on to Rin; the sooner they got the truth circulating through the press, the better. But that still didn't explain what was bugging Seto.

"So what's eating you, bro?"

What a question. Seto resisted the urge to snort with amusement; what _wasn't_ bothering him right now? He was tired, hungry, annoyed with both nosey photographers and disrespectful employees. He was worried and guilty too. Worried if he had done the right thing in leaving Kisara in the hospital, but she had Vivian at least. The guilt was what was really getting to him though. Guilt at being an idiot and not using a condom, guilt at ignoring her when she had complained about her stomach and guilt for not saying those words back to her. Those were all just bits and pieces he could add on to that growing list of things going wrong in his life right now.

"Is it all those rumours?"

Plucking a few grapes from the fruit bowl in the middle of the table, Mokuba spoke through a full mouth, knowing how much his brother hated having private matters paraded around. That was the reason he had broken up with Ayane's sister last year - Rie had been the kind of girl to kiss and tell and Seto was the kind of guy to tell the press to mind their own. Well, that and they had fought more than any couple he'd ever seen; one had a temper to rival the other. At least Kisara could stay calm and talk him down; Rie had just tried to fight fire with fire and they had both burned out.

"Yeah, a bit … I'm just tired anyway and all these stories are annoying me. As if enough isn't going wrong without everyone trying to add a baby into the mix. That would have been a disaster … "

Another yawn hit him then and Seto seriously contemplated just falling asleep at the table. The rumours really hadn't bothered him that much, but it was easier to agree than explain to Mokuba what was actually troubling him when he didn't even know. His head wasn't even in this lifetime right now - it was flitting back to a time where Kisara had been doubled over again, where the dark bolt had hit her. Her chest or her stomach, he couldn't quite remember where it had hit her, only that the outcome had been irrevocable.

Maybe neither of them were cut-out for this relationship crap after all. Mokuba had sabotaged his romance with Rebecca and here he was consciously ignoring how he felt. Well at least neither of them would be jealous of the other; they were both neck-deep in it right now.

Eying the newspaper Rin had dumped on the table earlier, Mokuba shook his head and hid a small smile. Even if the pregnancy-story had rung true, they would have dealt with it one way or another. Kicking his brother's leg beneath the table, the teenager flashed a smile and stood from his chair.

"It wouldn't have been a disaster, Seto. You raised me after all."

* * *

A crash rang out behind him and a second later a fireball had erupted across the square. Shouts mingled with screams as canisters rolled across the ground and started to release tear-gas. Tahrir Square was nothing short of a battlefield as dissatisfied civilians called for reform. They had finally managed to oust the president from the comfortable seat he'd held for generations, only to be lumbered with a shambled excuse for democracy.

Enough was enough. Tunisia had led the revolt to demand change, setting a trend that was fast spreading across the Arab world. Lebanon, Yemen, Syria and Libya had fast followed suit and Egypt was just the latest country to give birth to uprising. People were calling it the Arab Spring, a name Marik considered ironic in the least. Springtime meant new beginnings and hope, but all he could see around the panicking square was a bloodshed in its infancy. Libya was in uproar with sieges taking places at both ends of the country and the UN had officially declared a civil war in Syria. Each day brought with it news on needless bombing of civilians, a shootout in a city, rebels against armies or more assassinations of politicians. The people were standing up for themselves and calling for change at long last, but it was just a pity the words had to be written in blood.

Another blast ripped through the crowd and a screech echoed from his right. Screwing his eyes shut against a cloud of dust, Marik felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle. He had only turned twenty a couple of weeks ago, but already the young Tomb Keeper recognised the sound of someone dying. He had lost two cousins in the Libyan Battle of Tripoli and the war in Syria had so far claimed another cousin and two uncles from his family.

"Marik, we have to go!"

Blinking as a hand clamped on to his own and worried eyes looked him up and down, the blond let himself be pulled along and broke into a run as marching soldiers approached them. The protest in Tahrir Square was fast devolving into another bloodbath. He pulled his scarf over his mouth as another one of the smoking canisters rolled across the ground and kicked the damned thing away. The hand was wrenched from his and for a panicked second he lost track of her.

"Kiya!"

Turning on the spot was something surreal as he scanned the messy rush of bodies; everyone else moved as fast as they could to escape the heavy-handed soldiers, but Marik stood still and tried to pinpoint his girlfriend in the sea of fleeing demonstrators. The red-and-black hijab caught his attention and he was pushing through strangers in an instant, punching the man who was pulling her away from him. The bearded guy fell to the ground and scrambled to get away from his assaulter, but Marik had lost interest in the asshole and was too busy pulling Kiya forward, looking for a way out of the mayhem in the square. These protests had the unfortunate side-effect of bringing out the worst characters in Egypt.

Stopping beside an overturned bench, Marik took a few seconds to try and think; they needed to get out of here quick. Sea-green eyes were looking up at him, worry plain to be seen; they had really landed themselves in the mess of it.

"Maybe we should have stayed at the museum after all, huh?"

He almost laughed when she said that. They'd only been supposed to oversee a DNA test in the Cairo museum; the board of antiquities was on the cusp of identifying Tutankhamun's mother and the Tomb Keepers had been charged with transporting the Pharaoh's DNA sample from the Valley of the Kings to the lab in Cairo. That had all gone to plan fine and well until people began gathering in the square and he had received a phone-call from his cousin to say he was lost, flash-forward an hour and they were no closer to finding his cousin and in the middle of tragedy in the making. Ishizu would freak out if she knew where he was right now, more so if she knew his girlfriend was with him.

Kiya jumped as a sound rang out and held onto Marik's hand all the tighter as he started forward again. The one noise everyone had been dreading had finally entered the battle with its repetitive popping and screams seemed to punctuate every one of the gunshots. More fire erupted close by and people began to drop one by one. They were running now and even though he led the way through the fleeing demonstrators, jumping over fallen civilians and avoiding the uniformed soldiers, Marik's eyes were seeing a completely different scene.

It had happened a lot when he was younger, when his brain would flit to the Shadow Realm or imagine the world above the tombs, but he hadn't had such a vivid vision in years. His heart hammered as his feet kept moving and the gunshots rang nearer and nearer, but his eyes were surveying a dark tomb and broken rubble, called there by blood heritage. He knew the tomb, but it made no sense; Pharaoh Atem's burial chamber had been collapsed after the final duel. Something was wrong. There was a person sorting through the rubble, a figure that grabbed something and flitted out of the ruined grave. But where seven glints of gold had twinkled from beneath the broken stone only six winked up at him now.

"Ah!"

"Marik!"

She almost went down with him, but Kiya just about saved herself from falling and skidded to a stop. Some panicking stranger bashed into her and knocked her to one side, someone else jumping over her like she was one of the motionless bodies that littered Martyr's Square tonight. Slowly pushing herself up off of the ground, Kiya saw something that made her blood run cold and she crawled over to her fallen boyfriend with denial threatening to make her vomit.

"Marik? Get up, we need to go … Odion will want to know where we are …"

The more she shook him, the more worried she became. What had happened? They'd been running one second and he'd fallen the next. She almost cried with happiness when he groaned and his chest started moving up and down, but when Marik opened his eyes, they looked right past her and were clouded with pain as he cried out again. When her hand found his, Kiya saw the red on it and found the growing stain on his shirt. Taking off her hijab, she scrambled to fold it over the seeping blood and pressed down on the gunshot wound. It was only when he wiped away her tear that she realised she was crying; this wasn't how things were supposed to go.

The tattoo on his back was on fire as he stared up at the night stars, each inked line burning like a brand of warning. Something bad had happened in Pharaoh Atem's tomb and his burden as Tomb Keeper heir was violently abhorring whatever it was. But he could handle the tattoo, Marik knew that from experience … it was the spreading numbness that was making him sleepy. He had always liked the way Kiya's hair tumbled down in loose curls to frame her face, a face that was streaked with tears right now. More shots rang out and Marik tried his hardest tell her to run, to get away from the square before anything could happen her. But Kiya's attention wasn't on him anymore; someone had come to help them. The short hair was unfamiliar to him and so were the jeans and sweater but something struck a chord with Marik. As blurry as his vision was starting to turn, he was sure he'd seen those dull blue eyes somewhere before.

* * *

Seven golden chains suspended the spiked platform this time, no caterpillar-monster visible in the dungeon. The same swirling darkness threatened from below the platform though and she was held in the spot by some unseen force. Panicking, Kisara tried to call out but her throat hurt too much, she tried to wriggle out of the invisible grasp but her abdomen protested with an agonising pang. A cackle echoed off the underground walls and reverberated back to her as a shrill beeping. A golden eye loomed out from the darkness at her and one of the golden chains vanished, the platform pitching to one side and throwing her to the misty oblivion below.

She woke with a start and looked around the dim room for some sign of the caterpillar-monster. The shrill beeping was still present, but Kisara heaved a relieved sigh as she found its source; her heartbeat monitor. And the stab of pain had been the covered wound above her right hip, nothing more. That stupid nightmare had been plaguing her on and off for weeks now, but it had been different this time - there had never been golden chains in it before and the caterpillar thing was missing. Blinking, she figured the painkillers being pumped into her were having an effect.

"Evening, sleeping beauty."

Kisara smiled at that and looked to the chair beside her bed. She'd had visitors coming and going all day, but the one person she wanted to see had been absent. Light fingers trailed over the spot where the IV tube disappeared beneath her skin in a patch of bandages and Seto's eyes followed the drip back up to its source.

Looking around her hospital room, Kisara figured she might aswell become used to it; the doctor had arrived earlier only to deliver the news she would be staying for at least a week. He had then explained what had happened her, something about toxins and tissue, but she had been much too tired to listen fully so Vivian had filled her in later on. Viv had been the person she had woken up to this morning and her friend had stayed most of the day, regulating the visitors that had come and go and helping to arrange the flowers that kept on arriving. If any more bouquets arrived, she could open her own florists. But the people meant well, especially the ones she didn't know; Seto's business acquaintances had been quick off the mark and the first couple of deliveries had been from names unfamiliar to her - Mokuba had spent a half-hour going through the many cards and explaining who each person was. The KaibaCorp officials had followed example and sent their own well-wishes before noon, along with an official denial of the pregnancy rumours and confirmation of her appendicitis.

Mai arrived at lunchtime, followed closely by Akari and a _massive_ bouquet from the maids. Isamu and another of the security team, Nobu, had stood sentry outside her hospital room for most of the day, being changed out for two new faces as evening fell.

Looking back to Seto, Kisara frowned and tried to sit up in her bed but winced and thought better of the movement. Instead she croaked out the worried question.

"What's wrong?"

She didn't know why it bothered her so much, but the way he was looking at her really made her worry. There was no hint of his usual arrogance, just a conflicted confusion and he was quick to avert his gaze away when she tried to get his attention. Instead, Seto's fingers trailed back and forth over her own and just when she thought he'd change the subject, he sighed and spoke quietly.

"You said something to me when you woke up this morning …"

Kisara could honestly say she couldn't recall waking up and seeing anyone other than Vivian, though plenty of muddled dreams rushed back to her now and again. The last thing she could clearly remember was panicking as the nurse placed a mask over her mouth and trying to tell him something. Blushing to herself, Kisara was secretly glad unconsciousness had taker her before she had said it. The last thing she wanted was to make their relationship awkward with naïve confessions. Knowing her, she had probably mumbled something unintelligible about not leaving his shoes where she could trip over them every morning.

"Sorry, I was pretty drugged up."

"I should be the one apologising. What you said deserved an answer … an answer I can't say right now."

The beeping of her heart monitor quickened just a little and Kisara felt her stomach drop; she had been knocked out before those stupid words made it out of her. She couldn't have said it, and yet some groggy excuse of a memory was replaying itself over and over in her head. Someone had told her about her ruptured appendix before Vivian … that meant she had woken before her friend arrived. The beeping sped up just another little bit and Kisara let a whole other memory unfold; her second boyfriend in China had told her he loved her and she had run a mile when those words echoed in her ear, unreciprocated.

"Seto, I-I wasn't … I didn't-"

She gave up on answering as his hand found hers; the damage was already done and here came the _I-think-this-is-a-little-too-soon _speech she had issued three years ago. Being on the receiving end was even worse than trying to force the sorry words out and seeing the hope crumble in Xiaoli's eyes that morning. But the words that she expected to break her heart never came and instead Seto kept his attention on her hand, where the drip slid out of view.

"I will say it someday, I can promise you that … and I understand if feeling the same way isn't enough."

It was her turn to catch his hand as he made to stand from the chair. The disbelief in her eyes was ambiguous in the least and Kisara cursed her helplessness of being confined to bed as she tried to lean forward again. He had stopped her from running away all those weeks ago when the time-limit had been leaked to the press and she felt like an utter hypocrite as she done the exact same now and stopped him from running away. Seto was proving a lot stronger than she had given him credit for, what with carrying her into the hospital last night and now he was almost dragging her from the bed as she tried to make her sandpapered vocal chords work. Using both of her hands and sheer stubbornness, she yanked him back to her rather ungracefully and held onto his shirt.

"It's enough, more than-"

The rest of her words wouldn't work as her sore throat tightened and the rapid beeping of her own heartbeat filled the silent second that crawled by before Seto let a small smile surface and stole a slow kiss that put her on more of a high than any of the drugs in her system could.

* * *

**A/n- Thanks again for taking the time to read guys and if anyone has any questions, don't hesitate to ask me! And I'd like to say a massive thanks for sticking with me so far; I never thought I'd get to forty chapters ... and you all thought I was joking when I said it would be a long-haul a few years ago! I hope you liked it! XxxxxX**


	41. Safeguard

**Author's Note:** Hi guys! Sorry for the bit of a wait, but this chapter just did not want to be written. Thanks a million for all the lovely messages here and on Tumblr too! And thanks once again to **Renolvr** and her prolonged torture as my fanfiction guinea-pig!

* * *

_Quietly breaking whatever shields I spent so long building up._

* * *

"You're not coming?"

Téa shook her head at Mai's question. The blonde was starting to pick up some of Joey's habits as she slowly searched through the shelves of Duel Monsters cards in the small shop. Yugi caught her eye as he sat on the floor, unloading a box of Dungeon Dice Monsters boards.

"No, I have rehearsals in an hour. By the time I get to the hospital, I'd have to go."

"Ah, fair enough hun. I'll tell Kisara you were busy, bye!"

And Mai was gone with a cheery wave and a flash of her purple coat. There was no one else in the game shop today and Domino was similarly empty, almost as though resting before the semi-final duels kicked off in another few days. Counting a stack of booster packs, Téa penned the number in the order book and moved onto the next bundle, hoping her lie wouldn't be found out. But Yugi knew her too well.

"Only you don't have rehearsals until tomorrow. She's been in hospital for three days now and you haven't visited even once."

Yugi didn't even look up from his spot on the tiled floor as he spoke, hands still unpacking the game boards. He'd been quiet for the last few days, since the next tier of duels had been drawn, and she didn't need to wonder why. The last time Yugi and Pegasus had dueled one another was an event none of their group would forget. The trip to Duelist Kingdom Island was full of memories that could be left in the dark. The adventure of sleeping under the stars with her friends and meeting Mai were merely the positives of a sombre blackmailed trip to retrieve a stolen soul; even the Kaiba brothers hadn't escaped Pegasus' warped motivations back then.

"I just …"

She wanted to visit her friend, to find out how she was doing after her operation, but Téa's own conscience had ruled out even a flitting meeting with Kisara. She couldn't risk it. What if she let something slip about her past? Ishizu had told her to stay out of it and limit it to friendship … but that line between being a good friend and blurting out a hidden lifetime was getting dangerously blurred. Almost as blurred as her vision.

"Téa?"

She sniffed and tried to blink away the tears before Yugi could see them, but he was already standing and walking towards her, worry on his face. He took the invoice book from her and laid it down on the table, making her look at him and offered a small smile.

"It's not like you to ignore a friend. What's wrong?"

"I … I don't know what to do, Yugi."

Her boyfriend nodded and turned away for a few seconds, when he returned the shop's door had been locked. He sat her down on the stool and swiped her fringe out her eyes, along with a few stray tears.

"Calm down, now try to explain."

Explain? How was she supposed to explain all of the secrets that were starting to pile up on her conscience? The only time she felt calm these days was during the rehearsals for Swan Lake … every other minute she was bothered by pictures of Kisara in the press, or of her cheery text messages and all she could think of was how tragic it had all gone last time, of how that Kisara had ended up. She had looked up Kisara's father on the internet last night and found herself regretting the action. It wasn't that hard to find information on the man; all she had to do was search for Kisara's name and follow a few links. He had been young, only twenty-three when he had died, but Matthew Ashbrook had made quite the name for himself in the archaeological world. He had discovered a tomb in the Valley of the Kings, but any reports she had found told of the tomb's inner collapse.

"Her dad, he was an Egyptologist … and the tattoo on her back is Egyptian and I can't look at her anymore without biting back words … what if something happens? I can't visit her, Yugi! If I do, then I _know_ I'll say something I shouldn't …"

It took him a second to translate the rushed jumble of information, but Yugi understood the gist. A recent article in one of the glossy magazines had featured a snap of the tattoo on Kisara's neck, so it didn't shock him that she had another; Mai had only waited a few months after her first inking to get another, calling it an addiction. But that wasn't important. What was important was his girlfriend and the state she had worked herself into over all this. Wiping away a few more tears, Yugi sighed and shook his head; he would love if they had normal problems like other people their age - a pimple here, or a job-search there.

"Téa, you shouldn't have put all this on your shoulders. You're too good a friend sometimes. I don't know what I'm supposed to say here, they never put this in the boyfriend-handbook, but whatever you want to do I won't judge you. And you know I'm always here whenever you need to talk, don't just bottle things up."

Hugging the arms that had found their way around her, Téa nodded and tried to come up with a way to remain friends with Kisara and to keep her past life a secret at the same time. Shadi was back and he was supposed to be taking care of things, but it went against every one of her instincts as a friend to just leave it play out. What if Ishizu and Shadi couldn't handle it and something terrible happened?

Every single scenario she ran through her head featured her somehow letting everything slip to Kisara. The European would think she was gone nutty, telling her she had died once upon a time, and probably take it as a threat. Only God knew how Kaiba would take it. She had seen what had become of people who threatened Mokuba in the past, and it only left her fearful of what he would do to anyone even thinking of threatening Kisara.

"I can't hang out with her anymore. My mouth is too big, I'll only land myself in trouble."

A few more tears fell as Téa almost whispered the words into Yugi's chest. That was the only option she could see, the only way she could stop herself from revealing the past and doing as Ishizu and Shadi said. Téa Gardner had always prided herself on being the best friend she could be, she would help anyone if she could, and it was a trait she had become very proud of. And she was still being a good friend by doing this … it was the only way to protect Kisara. No matter what tale her guilty conscience and tears told, she was still being a good friend.

* * *

"Very good, Ms. Ashbrook … I dare say another few days and I'll be sending you home. You should be home for a certain duel at any rate. I'll be back to check on you later."

And with a friendly smile and swish of his white coat Dr. Arai was gone out the door. The cheery man had dropped by every morning and evening for the past three days, making sure she walked about her room a little and enquiring about particular bodily functions; the first day he had asked about bowel movements had caused a deep blush. But things were starting to return to normal and she'd even been allowed a small breakfast this morning.

Kisara cringed as she sat back down on the edge of the bed; her incision was still painful and would be for a while yet. But at least she'd gotten some good news; she would be home for Seto's next duel, though she was seriously considering not appearing at KaibaLand to watch it. Roland had drawn the duels a few days ago to much excitement; Yugi Muto and Maximillion Pegasus hadn't faced each other in years, but would duke it out in the first duel of tier three and Joey Wheeler and Zigfried would be pitted against one another in an echo of the KC Grand Prix three years ago. But it was the third duel that worried her so much …

Surely Vivian would understand if she wanted Seto to win?

"Here, let me help."

Before she could even think of protesting, Isamu had helped her back onto the bed; he had been stationed outside her door since she'd been admitted to hospital. At first she had complained to Seto; she didn't need someone standing sentry and babysitting her, but then a rather irate young woman had tried to enter her room two days ago. Isamu and another of the security team had escorted the woman to hospital security and had requested her removed from the building. Mokuba had been visiting at the time, the teenager turning strangely serious as he watched the scene through her window; she still hadn't learned the full story behind the woman's attempted visit, but security staff had been outside her door ever since and she was starting to learn off their rotations even if their names still eluded her.

Isamu was there most days with an older man she hadn't seen before. He was shorter than Isamu and sported a dapper goatee, earning him the silent nick-name of Beardy. Isamu and Beardy were usually relieved by a very tall man and a small angry-looking girl. Knuckles and Moody; the tall man always cracked his knuckles and his partner seemed to be in an endless scowl.

"Do you need anything else, Ms. Ashbrook?"

"Oh, I'm fine, honestly."

Blinking, Kisara shook her head and offered Isamu a grateful smile; she could see worry behind his shades. Leaving her with a cursory bow, Roland's second-in-command returned to his post outside her door. Flicking through the television, she settled on a drama set in a high school and soon lost interest in the too-cute drivel.

It was nice to be away from prying eyes, but boredom was setting in and Kisara found herself itching to be out of the hospital room. Once or twice she had ventured into the hallway outside to stretch her legs, but the worried looks of the security team had made her feel guilty enough to shuffle back to bed. She wanted to be home again, to see Kai and listen to the maids chattering as they flitted about. The past few days had dragged by at an agonisingly slow pace and she was quite fed up of daytime television. Mokuba dropped by when he could, but the teenager was juggling schoolwork with his post as a commissioner in the tournament. Mai had paid her a visit first thing this morning and the bubbly blonde had been a real mood-lifter, but she had work to return to. Seto visited at least once in the day and she had been surprised to wake up to him this morning, asleep in the chair beside her bed and snoring, something he vehemently denied when informed.

But boredom was boredom and the security team weren't the most chatty of people. So another couple of days dragged by, each one seeming longer than the last and the sorry quality of teatime television declined in tangent. Dr. Arai came and went, as did the nurses, and the security staff continued on with their stoic sentry schedule. It was her sixth day in custody before the boring monotony was broken.

Knuckles had been with Isamu during the day, with Beardy on night-duty with a new girl instead. The short tubby woman smiled and laughed as she told a story to Beardy with animated hands and Kisara found she liked her already. Night number six in prison was really turning out to be a record-breaker; not only was the regimented schedule abandoned, but Isamu appeared in the hallway two hours after his shift had ended. He chatted with Beardy and smiled at the new girl's story before letting himself into her room after a polite knock.

Out of the stark black uniform of the security team, Isamu looked years younger as his clear brown eyes looked to her, unhidden by shades. Muting the television, Kisara blushed before she could help it; she didn't know what to expect - had something happened at the mansion? A small bow from him stopped her from asking and her bewilderment must have shown because Isamu offered a small smile as he sat in one of the armchairs.

"You looked scared, Ms. Ashbrook … whatever Akari's told you, I swear she's lying."

And she laughed then, at Isamu's genuine smile and at the echo of déjà vu that was throwing the words back at her; Seto had said something along those lines on her first day in Japan. If she was being honest, it was the most words she had ever heard him speak and that put her at ease; Isamu was usually as quiet as she was.

"S-Sorry Isamu, it's just with Beardy here during the night instead of-"

She trailed off then, cheeks lighting up for a whole other reason as Akari's boyfriend tried to swallow a surprised laugh; she hadn't meant to let slip of her personal nicknames for the security team. Ashamed, she picked at her nails and tried to think of some excuse for the strange name, her brain abandoning her without a defence.

"I'm sorry, it's-"

"You're not the first person to come up with nicknames for us and they're not the worst names either … we used to have twins on work-experience called Left and Right."

When she looked to him, Isamu's face was a picture of seriousness as he nodded his head, a faint smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.

"Old Koji Harada was the one to name them; Koichi and Shunsuke, but Left and Right was a running joke for weeks afterwards …"

Her blush faded a bit more and Kisara even giggled at the anecdote; that certainly sounded like the charming old man she had known. Tying her hair over one shoulder, she stretched and sought for something else to say; she still didn't know what this night-time visit was in lieu of. Another few seconds ticked by before Isamu shook himself and stopped staring at his colleagues outside, silently wondering what his own nickname was.

"I'm here on orders actually, Ms. Ashbrook, but from someone a lot scarier than Roland …"

He bent down and started rummaging in the carrier bag he had brought with him, having let the two current sentries inspect the contents first. Interested now, Kisara smiled; Roland wasn't scary in her opinion, but then again she didn't work for the man so she couldn't imagine how the security team viewed their superior. She blinked as two books were placed on the bed in front of her, one about Japanese customs and the other a thick puzzle-book.

"Akari thought you might be getting a bit bored by now and she says it's pay-back for a geography book … if that makes sense?"

Nodding her head dumbly at Isamu's doubtful shrug, she picked up the books and smiled. A couple of days ago she had been idly talking about how confusing the many Japanese customs were with Akari running through the most common ones; bowing and honorifics. Opening the hardcover book, her smile widened at the messy scrawl inside the cover; _Get better soon!_

"She also told me that the security-team are rude and quiet and I'm to stay here and answer any questions you have. To be honest, she said it in different words, but I'd turn the air blue."

That made her laugh out loud, more so because she had heard Akari swear only on rare occasions, usually when an influx of KaibaCorp staff descended on the mansion or if some new journalist had gotten hold of the phone number. He was trying to cheer her up and Isamu suddenly rose up the list of people she liked for his attempt.

"You don't have to stay, I'm sure you have better things to do, but thank you."

"Actually, I'm on a week's holidays starting tonight so Roland has a lot of better things to do along with Beardy. You can ask me anything you want, or I can just sit here in silence if that's better?"

She honestly didn't know whether he was joking this time or not, so Kisara asked the first question that came to mind and pointed to the doorway of the room.

"What is his name? I can't keep calling the poor man _Beardy_ …"

That earned her a chuckle from Roland's second-in-command before an answer; Fubeta was Beardy's name and the little chubby story-teller was called Yukina. And Isamu went on through the security personnel she knew of, trading nicknames for real titles and smiling at every half-hacked pseudonym she threw before him.

"Knuckles? Tall guy usually with a little thin woman?"

Kisara nodded her head at the description and cracked her knuckles, just as she'd seen the man do umpteen times.

"_Oh_, that's Ko, a cousin of Hiroki."

Now that she thought of it, Knuckles did bear a passing resemblance to the young driver; the same eyes and smile.

"What about the girl?"

"Always looks like she's in a bad mood? That's Ai - she's kind once you get to know her. I think that's everyone … we have a few transfers too, Julie and Karl from America, but I think that's it."

"What about the man who owns the motorcycle? I've seen him at KaibaCorp a few times."

A mirthful look passed across Isamu's face and she doubted herself for a second; had she said something wrong? She was sure she had seen the man in a security uniform a handful of times, or leaving the underground garage on a motorbike.

"I've worked for KaibaCorp for five years and I still don't have a clue what his name is. I think Roland knows what it is, but I don't want to ask; I'm next in line after Roland and I should know everyone's name … All I know is that we call him Suzuki because of the motorcycle, but I think he's married to one of the maids."

"Which one?"

Sitting up in the bed a bit more, Kisara could picture the ten minds in her mind and automatically ruled out four of them from the mix; Akari, Kimiko, Aki and Kaede were certainly unmarried. So that left six candidates in the process of elimination and the maids were the one set of employees she knew the ins and outs of. Isamu was counting off fingers as he shrugged and scratched behind his ear.

"I _hope_ it's not Akari and Tweedledum and Tweedledee are single and so's Newbie-"

"_Tweedledum _and _Tweedledee_? Aki and Kimiko? You've got nicknames for the maids?"

She saw what could have been a blush appear for a second before Isamu nodded his head and smiled; the security force had little to do with the maids and vice versa, so nicknames were easier to remember. They also had nicknames for the gardeners and mechanics too and the board of officials, but that was a discussion better left alone for now; some of the names for the latter group weren't very polite.

"What's the nickname you use for Suzuki's wife?"

Thinking for a second, the young man tried to picture the woman he'd seen arguing with Suzuki about his motorcycle. She was a pretty woman for her age, always prim and proper and polite to a tee, and that was why he'd questioned Ko's nickname for the lady at first; _Dragon_ had connotations with being ill-tempered. But then he'd seen the slide she used to keep her hair under control.

"Dragon because she always has a green dragon-shaped slide in her hair."

"Izumi … though I don't know what her husband's called either."

She barely ever saw that particular maid; she and Kiku were always busy up on the third floor of the mansion and were only glimpsed either early in the morning or at evening, when it was time to go home.

And then another silence seeped into the hospital room as some game-show with a comical obstacle course played silently on the television. One particular contestant seemed to be doing so well, running through paper doorways headfirst until he inevitably found the solid wooden door. The man rolled about on the ground, face halfway between laughter and tears and the whole time only one more question rattled about in Kisara's head until she forced herself to ask it quietly, possibly hoping it would go unheard.

"Who was the woman a few days ago?"

She spotted Isamu shifting a little out of the corner of her eye and figured she wasn't getting an answer. All the cloak-and-daggers were starting to wear a bit thin with all the secrets she could feel being kept from her, but Kisara wasn't an idiot either; surely it was for her own protection? Another contestant bombed out of the game-show in a very ungraceful, and more that likely painful, head-dive off of some stepping stones; she actually felt relieved the thrill-seekers had helmets on.

"I've been told not to say a word, Ms. Ashbrook."

She looked to him and nodded with an understanding smile; he was only doing his job. It was almost as if the black suit had jumped back into place over the sweat bottoms and hoody, but she could understand what the shades were for now; Isamu's eyes were his weakest point and were giving him away. The guilt in them made her feel at fault and she tried to look away, back at the silly show, but she couldn't and he fidgeted with a bunch of keys in his hands before sighing.

"I don't usually disobey Roland but you have a right to know; he's only trying to protect you, but ignorance can be dangerous too. That woman was a so-called _fan_ of Mr. Kaiba's, like the ones Roland showed you at KaibaLand. She shouldn't have gotten that close."

"W-what did she want w-with me?"

Kisara felt her cheeks burn as she stammered her way through the question and looked down at her hands; she was causing trouble already and she wasn't even out of hospital yet.

"I don't know to be honest, to talk to you or more likely to threaten y-"

Isamu broke off as she blushed all the more and felt himself getting flustered; he had had this argument with Roland three times now. Ms. Ashbrook wasn't some hopeless child who needed protecting the whole time; give her a little bit of information and she could go a long way on it. His three little cousins were already well-versed in self-defence, not exactly to his aunt's exuberance, but it would only benefit the girls in the future. Mokuba had been trained before that Dartz guy had taken over KaibaCorp a few years ago. True, the security team had dropped the ball where Pegasus was concerned and lost track of the Kaiba brothers, but that was before his employment. Even Rebecca had been put through the basic drills too; being connected to a Kaiba also made her an ideal target for the more corrupt individuals on the corporate scene, even more so for Ms. Ashbrook. He had wanted to begin training the European over a month ago, but Roland had insisted she didn't need it, only swallowing his words when the threats had come in fast and heavy at KaibaLand.

But all coins had two sides and everything had an opposite. Pulling his phone from a pocket, Isamu tapped away at the screen and tried to even out his bad news somehow, following a few links to find something Akari had bookmarked when _borrowing_ his phone last week.

"It's not all bad though, for every jealous fangirl there's an admiring one, see?"

Kisara blinked as a phone was handed to her and couldn't work out what was being shown to her for a few seconds. Some smiling girl by the alias of _Katty24_ was raving about a dress and, a few lines further down the blog, she was singing the praises about some other ensemble. It was only as the pictures loaded on the slow connection that Kisara looked down at her own smiling face. She had seen the pictures before, taken by the press at tournament launch and at Zigfried's function before that. Some sneaky photographer had even snagged an image of her in the black lace cocktail dress she had worn to that torturous dinner with Seto's acquaintance. But the papers usually named the designer and then blabbed on with some cock-and-bull story about her … this girl was complementing her dress-style, admiring her make-up choices and commending her lovely smile and how well-suited she and Seto seemed to each other.

"You have your own fangirls, Ms. Ashbrook."

Isamu's quiet words barely reached her as he leaned forward and pressed another link and a different blog loaded. Such attention left her baffled; she could understand all the girls who didn't like her for being with Seto - he was an attractive young man and she had no doubt she'd ruined many a fangirl's dream by getting engaged to him. He was also a duelist, so that offered up a whole other fan-base too but she was no one. She was some unknown girl from the other side of the world who had somehow gotten herself arranged to be married to one of the most famous men on the planet.

"Why though? I don't get it."

"No? You don't get that people can like you because you're kind and intelligent and beautiful?"

_No, because I'm not_. She was almost waiting for a punch-line to go with that joke, but the sincerity in Isamu's voice only perplexed her. Seto _had_ to say those kinds of things to her but she didn't know how to take them from someone else; saying thank-you would only make her seem egotistical. Simply denying the kind compliments seemed a better choice but her tongue wouldn't form the words for her, leaving her sitting in the bed, looking at a lovely girl's blog like some sort of directionless mime.

"And Akari has _the_ biggest girl-crush on you, I'm not even kidding. It's all 'Ms. Ashbrook this and Ms. Ashbrook that and I got to help choose a dress today!' "

The crude try at imitating Akari's hyper voice earned a smile, something Isamu was glad of - he thought he'd made a terrible mistake for a few minutes. What was it with girls anyway? Akari was the exact same; she always regarded compliments with suspicion, as though he was playing some trick on her. Even his aunt doubted him when he told her she looked nice and his three little cousins just scoffed and rolled their eyes.

Picking up the remote control, the young man un-muted the television and spared a few laughs for the poor contestants that never made it to the castle at the end; they were the real entertainment. Crashing through doors, sliding off of false rocks, crossing a rickety bridge with a golden ball and even the poor attempts at karaoke; he'd seen this episode a few times before but the unique dives always amused him.

It was only when she handed back his phone and began to laugh at the show too, that Isamu spared a sideways glance for employer's fiancée. Roland had insisted she needed shielding from the glare of the press and the reality of being a celebrity, but Roland was just being paternal in his opinion. He had been part of the contingent that had escorted Ms. Ashbrook from Domino Airport the day of her arrival in the country and the scared girl that had landed on Japanese soil seemed banished. She was getting more confident with every day that passed and he had even been a witness to her attack on Rin. Akari had later filled him in on Schroeder and the all the drama of the day, but all he and Roland had seen was Rin getting her temper handed back to her in force … and it had been about time. Rin was a part of the furniture within KaibaCorp, but she had one hell of an attitude problem.

Isamu couldn't fault Roland for wanting to protect Ms. Ashbrook, it was their job and he had the inkling the father had a soft spot for her, but there was more than one way to protect someone. The upset girl he had stopped from running across a function room could have been shooed into a room and kept away from Rie Mitsuru for the rest of the night, but that was impractical. Instead, Mr. Kaiba had coaxed her back out and suddenly Rie didn't seem so intimidating. Wasn't there an adage about getting back on a horse?

All she needed were the skills to deal with the press and attention and threats. Threats were something he could deal with, having trained Rebecca and Mokuba both and even getting his own rear-end handed to him by Mr. Kaiba on more than one sparring occasion, but the delegation and communication skills would have to come from someone else; there was a reason he was a man of few words.

But right now she was laughing at some idiot who had missed a jump and splashed into the water below. The press and rabid fangirls would still be on the agenda tomorrow or even a week from now, so Isamu crossed his arms and slouched in his seat and laughed at the pointless game.

* * *

_Don't call him Beardy _… _don't call him Beardy _…

"Thank you, Fubeta."

Kisara smiled as the man held the door open for her and mentally congratulated herself for not screwing his name up. Even Seto seemed bemused as Fubeta offered a polite bow and took his leave from the room. Duel number one of the tournament's third tier; Maximillion Pegasus versus Yugi Muto and the crowds in KaibaLand had been waiting for anything up to hours. The duel itself was being held in the Kaiba Dome, but only so many people could fit into the seating areas, so cameras had been set up to beam the duel to watching crowds all over KaibaLand and Domino City and no doubt various places worldwide; it wasn't every day that two of the biggest names in Duel Monsters clashed.

Well-dressed ladies and gentlemen filtered around the private viewing box, each one finding their way to a cushioned seat with an ideal view of the dueling field below. True to Vivian's word, all of the women watching the duel were dressed up to the nines and tens and Kisara had to admit to feeling a bit scruffy in her loose cream shift dress; her incision was still quite sore, so it had ruled out any fitted dresses.

"When did you start learning off the security team's names?"

Smiling as the question, Kisara watched as Seto gave one small businessman a stony glare and sent him scampering from the best seat in the room. Roland was reading out the usual rules and regulations from his podium on the side of the dueling platform as Yugi and Maximillion shuffled each other's decks

"Isamu told me, I'm trying to learn everyone's name … slowly though."

And he chuckled and kissed her cheek then, not even bothered that so many prying eyes could see the show of affection; almost ten days apart had affected him more than he thought. It was the quietness in the mansion that Seto had first noticed. The maids all went about their business, none of them too inclined to dawdle after hearing of his showdown with Rin, and Mokuba had orchestrated most of the looming meetings to take place in the KaibaCorp building … so that just left a huge house that seemed twice as empty without her in it. No piano playing upstairs, no idle humming in the kitchen and no soft snoring in the early hours - though she'd deny that if confronted.

Kisara took the seat beside him and busied herself smiling as one businessperson after another approached to offer get-well wishes and asked how she was feeling. She smiled back and spoke soft words to each and every stranger, even managing a few thanks for bouquets and cards, only beginning to blush and stammer a little as the last woman spoke to her.

But the endless parade of dutiful corporate guests ceased their talking as the crowd in the Kaiba Dome exploded into cheering and the hologram sealers activated; Kuriboh was the first monster to be played, though by far the last of the duel.

Toon World made an ungainly appearance halfway through the duel, a bit late in Seto's opinion, but Yugi was well-prepared with an arsenal of mediocre monsters to entertain the baying spectators. Things only began to get serious when Summoned Skull made an appearance and stared down the mockery that was the Toon Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Pegasus had been a dueling genius once, but time seemed to have dulled the man's skill at the game; Yugi was playing circles around him. True, the majority of those watching would be enthralled by the tension in the air and the joking air of Duel Monsters creator, but anyone with a serious mind about the duel could see the gaping hole in Pegasus' defence and it was only a matter of time until Yugi exploited it.

A simple De-Spell was more than adequate to rid the field of that idiotic Toon World. Pegasus had twigged Yugi's strategy too late and tried to adapt by using a head-on attack to destroy some his rival's life-points, but Yugi was already a step ahead and used Magic Cylinder to re-direct the attempt, taking a couple of hundred points with him. The fast back-and-forth exchange of moves really got the crowd going and Seto hid a knowing smile as a few people in the viewing box began a sweepstake on who would win the duel. Idiots. Yugi would win, he'd known that since drawing up the plans for the tournament. His whole plan had been for renewed attention in dueling before the Academy's tentative opening next summer; the Dueling Academy was a project he had been working on for almost a year, confounded in planning problems and construction woes, but it was coming along. It would be opened as a boarding summer camp just as soon as he could get the plan off the ground. Dormitory foundations were already laid down and a lesson roster was being drawn up by a board of educators he had hired; strategy and dueling lessons would take place as well as more grounded classes on traditional school subjects; there was no point being a dueling prodigy if you didn't have something to fall back on.

Yugi would win the tournament … or at least that's what Seto had planned on before joining the contender list himself; that was an unforeseen complication on his part. He needed a big name to win in order to boost KaibaCorp's name, but surely only ridicule could come from losing to that dwarf once again.

His mood turned quite sour then and Seto was glad for the distraction of the Dark Magician and Pegasus' rather graceful bow out of the competition. He smiled and shrugged and congratulated 'Yugi-Boy', all conversation noticeably staying away from past happenings. Temper roiling, Seto could sense the elephant that filled his Kaiba Dome as Téa Gardner appeared on the field sideline and hugged her boyfriend; maybe Pegasus had lost his dueling prowess along with the Millennium Eye? No one mentioned anything about soul entrapment or a hostile takeover of KaibaCorp, and the young man figured he was probably lucky Yugi had won the duel. If he had faced off against Pegasus, Seto knew he wouldn't have been able to bite his tongue and leave things unsaid … but then he would have had to tell Kisara all about Duelist Kingdom and the demented idiot her mother's employer had been and he didn't want to.

Kisara laughed quietly to herself as the losing businessmen handed their money over to the smug woman in the corner; Ms. Shibata had earned herself quite the lump sum on the back of Yugi Muto. One woman shook her head and tutted as her husband handed over the cash, winking at Ken Shibata's daughter and her gambling win. The private box began to empty after that, the people trickling out one by one as other engagements called. The women in particular made sure to commend the duel and speak to Kisara before leaving. Reds, greens, blues and probably every other colour under the sun; dresses that reached below the knee, above the joint and even some questionable ones that skimmed rebelliously along the top of thighs. Every hairstyle was meticulously groomed into place and permanently fixed by those incongruous hair pins he kept on finding in the mansion. If they weren't on the sink in his en-suite, they were on his bedside table and if they weren't there, he was sure to find one or two actually _in_ his bed … the top of the microwave oven was fast turning into a gathering place for any he found around the house.

Watching as she talked with the bet-winner, Seto made a decision not to tell Kisara about Pegasus' doings those years ago. She had fretted over her outfit this morning, calling Vivian three times despite Rika assuring her the dress would be fine for the occasion. And then she had worried about her hair and her make-up and how pale she still seemed and other needless complaints; would she seem rude if she forgot someone's name? Who had given her this card? Who had sent that bouquet?

But the cream dress was fine and she looked fantastic in it and the neat chignon Rika had worked her hair into, bobby pins and all, was still perfectly in place. And she hadn't been rude and had remembered almost everyone's names, only needing rescuing once or twice in the form of a whispered surname.

Pegasus' wife had died years ago and the Millennium Eye had taunted the man with aspirations of bringing her back to him. Seto didn't forgive him and doubted he ever would; the capture and mental torture was something he could deal with, but Pegasus had made the mistake of kidnapping Mokuba and that was a permanent black mark in his standing. No amount of old memories of sitting across a table from him, or signing the exclusive deal with Industrial Illusions would ever put right all the wrongs.

But Seto did have a small voice lilting from the back of his conscience, asking just how he would react if Kisara was taken away from him. What extents would he go to then? He had crossed a moral boundary once before, when his little brother had been threatened, and that dark place wasn't one he was in a rush to return to; he had found it much too becoming. But the different perspective did assuage Pegasus' actions slightly.

No, Seto thought as he stood from the chair and found slender fingers between his own; he wouldn't be telling her about the shadier aspects of Duelist Kingdom.

* * *

"_I can fix that."_

And he had. The door didn't creak anymore and gave her office some sorry imitation of peacefulness. When she had complained about the flickering bulb above the white sarcophagus, Ahmed had smiled and fixed that too. Her television reception had never been clearer after he had seen to that as well.

"_I can fix that_."

And he had. Every single thing she had tried to blame her short temper on, Ahmed had seen to and repaired to working order. She had mentally referred to him as a boy when he first arrived in Domino a couple of short weeks ago, but a closer look at his file revealed him to be two years older than her, and the neighbourhood handyman back home - or so he had told her with a smile when she asked about his repairing skills.

But he couldn't fix Marik, could he? She usually kept things bottled to herself, not wanting others to either know her business or to worry too, but Ishizu could only hold so much inside before she snapped at someone. Poor Zakiya had been sent running with her tail between her legs this morning, probably the catalyst to Ahmed's concern. The third student hadn't even looked at her for three days, probably scared stiff that she would bite his head off.

And so, after ten days of eating away at every last bit of patience she had, Ishizu had let someone else in on her private life and the absolute turmoil it was now in. Ahmed had smiled sadly and shaken his head, unable to fix her problem. But he had made the best cup of coffee she'd ever had and had lent her an ear, sympathising about her deceased cousins and pointing out the silver lining; Marik was alive, wounded albeit, but alive and that was surely something to hold on to. He had then expertly changed the topic, asking about Kiya and how she was coping, if she had been hurt. Kiya was a simple excavator's daughter who had grown up in the Valley of the Kings after her father had died, a childhood friend of Marik's that the Tombkeepers had taken under their wing, but Ahmed smiled and asked the right questions at the right time, distracting her from worrying about Marik.

Almost in exchange, Ahmed had then traded her a story about growing up on the streets of Cairo, running about bare-footed with other orphans and living with an old woman they called _jaddah_ or grandmother. Maybe it was his tough upbringing, but Ishizu quite liked the way he seemed to find the good in every situation and she had actually laughed at his rugby story and ensuing injury his friend had received. When he asked her why she had bottled it up for so long, Ishizu had merely shrugged and cited her being alone in Japan; she had no family or real close friends to confide in and the silent artefacts in the museum were usually apathetic to her.

"_I can fix that_."

And that was the last thing he had repaired for her. Taking her phone, Ahmed had typed his number in and insisted she was free to off-load her worries on him any time she needed to, that he could fix most problems. She had thanked him for that, not quite sure if she would ever use the number, but it was the thought that counted. But now she was in a turbulent mood for a whole other reason; he had smiled and squeezed her hand before leaving, something trivial that she had done to colleagues countless times in the past. But then why had she faltered and blushed as he left for his apartment?

The heavy paperweight landed on the carpet with a muffled thump, followed by four days worth of paper work and a picture of her brothers. The glass cracked across Odion and Marik's faces and her meticulous notes on the rule of Pharaoh Mana fluttered all around the room. Ishizu immediately felt guilt in her stomach; she really needed to start keeping her temper in check.

"We must speak."

Once upon a time, she would have jumped at the sudden voice, but she was far beyond that now and merely picked up the ruined photograph with a calmness even she was surprised at. Pinning the man with a look, the woman folded her arms across her chest and didn't even think of schooling her words. She had spoken to both Marik and Kiya over the phone and had felt her neck prickle at Kiya's hushed description of their saviour, knowing full-well who it had been; ten days had then crawled by as she waited for some kind of visit from the spectre, left in her office with her anger growing each day.

"Where have you been? What happened, Shadi? Marik seems to think-"

"Something was stolen. I'm glad to hear your brother is recovering."

Double-whammy; hit her with bad news and then try to sound sympathetic. That, and _recovering_ wasn't quite the word she would have used to describe a bullet wound and surgery. Even now, her brother wasn't out of the woods. He and Kiya were holed up in Cairo's hospital with a Tombkeeper sentry posted at all times. She hadn't wanted to let him transport the DNA sample, to keep him in the desert and miles away from the treacherous cities … but their father had tried to do the same and she had sworn never to imprison her brother like that.

"He was lucky, that's all."

Their cousin hadn't been as fortunate. Syed's body was being identified today and his mother could entrust another son to the family tombs. She should have felt grief herself, Syed had been her flesh and blood, but Ishizu was too relieved her little brother had pulled through to think of anything else; that was her silver lining. Stopping her mind from flashing back to a stupid little touch of hands, Ishizu sighed and looked to Shadi.

"What was stolen? Another museum ransacked by shameless louts?"

She leaned over her computer, fingers poised to type out a report on the missing artefacts. With all the mayhem clutching the country, Egypt's museums had been the latest targets for the mobs; a small statue of Akhenaten, the Heretic King, had only just turned up in a bakery closer to Alexandria than Cairo.

"The Millennium Eye."

Her fingers froze and refused to type the words, her brain laughing and calling her a fool for imagining he had said it; surely that had to be a mistake? Forcing a smile, she flicked back a curtain of ebony hair and tried to lock eyes with her old friend.

"That's impossible, there must have been some mistake, Shadi."

But even as she said it, Ishizu felt a gnawing dread flipping about in her stomach; Marik had been adamant something had been taken from Pharaoh Atem's tomb, far beneath the sands of the Valley of the Kings. Something like guilt flitted across the blank blue eyes, showing what could have been weakness for a second as Shadi sighed.

"The intruder escaped me-"

"How? You're supposed to guard the Items!"

She was well aware of the bite in her words; she was working her butt off to try and restore relations between Domino Museum and Cairo and attempting to keep tabs on the ever-growing problem of Kisara Ashbrook _and_ figure out her own life whenever she had a free minute. The least he could do was catch the scum who had taken advantage of an ancient grave in the midst of an uprising.

"I was preoccupied with saving your brother's life. Excuse me if I made the wrong decision."

She watched guiltily as he walked from the office and read the concocted history for the white sarcophagus; Shadi _had_ saved Marik's life, probably Kiya's too, and she owed him more than just spiteful words. She followed him out into the exhibit room and took a breath to apologise, but was cut off as he turned and looked her head-on.

"I hate to ask you this, old friend, but I need your help. I can no longer trust the safety of the remaining Items. Could you safeguard these two? The rest have been taken care of, but I would sooner have you holding these."

She blinked like an idiot, her hand betraying her and reaching out to take the necklace and a thousand memories of another life flooding back as the gold glimmered beneath the exhibit lights. The Millennium Necklace was understandable; it had belonged to Isis millennia ago and she couldn't deny the connection she felt to it, but why the Millennium Ring? She thought better of it and merely nodded her head; she would lock the two away in her safe before going home tonight.

"What about the others?

"Odion is guarding the Scales, I have the Key myself and Marik is charged with the Puzzle."

She bit her tongue then, making herself see the logic in the spirit's doings; Marik was the heir to the Tombkeepers and she had no doubt Shadi wanted to keep Yugi Muto and his friends out of this particular problem. But even with the Eye stolen, that left them one Item short, the very Item she had presumed Marik would oversee.

"What about the Millennium Rod?"

"Ishizu, I have no proof of who took the Eye, but I do have a notion and I will not be caught off-guard. Kisara's spirit deserves a chance to live this time and I will ensure that happens. I warned you of danger and now I think it approaches … I mean to level the playing field."

"You gave it to Seto Kaiba?"

"Not yet, but I will before the night is through."

Ishizu had no words then; if Shadi thought the Millennium Rod would do more good with its owner, then surely he was right? The only thing that bothered her was the insinuation of who could now hold the Eye. Watching as he re-read the fake origins of the marble coffin, Ishizu let her shoulders drop a little and took her own time looking at the sarcophagus; the Egyptologist who had found it must have thought his name would go down in history.

"But how is her soul even active today? Surely it should still be trapped in the tablet of the White Dragon?"

She frowned as Shadi continued his walking around the sarcophagus, not too pushed to give her an answer, but it was a question that had been annoying her for months now. Even her family at home in Egypt had given up on the riddle of Kisara's soul. Shadi took a second to look up at the fixed light bulb above the coffin, examining it, and smiled as he walked another circuit. Just short of losing her temper again, Ishizu forced herself to stop and take a deep breath; she was utterly tired of tip-toeing around the topic. The ghost knew something and her patience was disappearing rather quickly.

"Shadi-"

"Souls are a lot like puzzle pieces. Pieces can only fit in with other certain pieces; a soul can only survive when connected to certain other souls. Of course there are generic free souls that have no pre-ordained destiny to adhere to, fresh to fall in love and whatnot, but then there are the special ones who had have lived a thousand times over and will always relegate to the same route of finding each other."

The young woman raised a sceptical eyebrow and watched him observing the white sarcophagus; was he really about to spin her that old soul-mates tale? She had heard it countless times in her childhood and though she definitely believed in such things, it still didn't answer her question. Shadi looked at her over the glass case of the sarcophagus and smiled, one of the few she had ever seen cross his face.

"The Great Royal wife Kisara may have lived millennia ago, but she still had parents and found love in her short life. She was a slave brought to Egypt by the Hittites, originally born in Babylon, where her blue eyes were revered for mirroring the famed blue Ishtar Gate."

"Shadi, this history lesson is all very interesting, but it still doesn't answer my-"

"I am not finished."

Ishizu clamped her mouth shut as the normally blank blue eyes lit up with an emotion she wasn't quite sure of. No snow had fallen today and there was even talk of the weather softening, but there was definitely a chill creeping into the closed museum. Giving her a serious look, Shadi continued with his explanation.

"Aknadin came from a great family, a line of kings that ruled for generations. Did you know he was the older twin, between himself and Aknamkanon?"

When Ishizu shook her head in silence, the spirit nodded and carried on telling the story, glad to be able to share it with someone finally; she wasn't the only one who bottled things up. The only difference was he had no shoulder to lean upon, no one to tell his sad tales to, as he had silently watched her do with Ahmed.

"No one did, except a bumbling wet-nurse who became confused with the infants once, but that once was all it took. The older brother missed out on his birthright of a throne or-"

"A large estate and inheritance …"

The Tombkeeper blinked as something clicked in her mind and she spoke lowly. Her research into Kisara Ashbrook's past was beginning to show up parallels between then and now. The Ashbrooks were an old and prosperous family in regards to European history, moving from England to France centuries ago and monopolising the wine industry. Her digging into the family's secrets had turned up the story of Matthew being left the Estates by his parents, despite being a decade younger than Jonathon. The very older brother that bore an uncanny likeness to a priest from her memories.

Shadi smiled again as he walked back around the marble coffin; she was starting to understand now, to join the dots and see the bigger picture and why he _had_ to give the Millennium Rod back to Seto Kaiba.

"Exactly, and who was most influenced by Aknadin in the past?"

"Seth, he was the man's son."

When he shook his head and chuckled ruefully, Ishizu frowned and pinned him with a stare; her research was _not_ wrong in the slightest. Seth had been Aknadin's son, abandoned in childhood albeit, but fathered by the man nonetheless.

"Seth was Aknadin's son by blood only, raised by an uncle of his mother's. Aknadin begot him and nothing else. But it was Kisara's power he yearned for and her life he had the largest impact on … and who do you think is the heir to Ashbrook Estates by virtue of her tragic father?"

She didn't even need to answer that question; only an idiot or a complete social hermit would draw a blank on the matter. Everyone worldwide knew Kisara was the heir to the estates, but things were different this time around; Jonathon was her guardian, not a rival for her power or money like before. Sighing, Ishizu folded her arms across her chest; her original question was still getting danced around, buried by pretty side-stories.

"But why is her soul free of the tablet?"

"You never did have patience, my friend. Did you see Isis' memory of her and Mahad's wedding? I remember it clearly."

The curator stood straighter and shook her head; she had seen snippets of the priestess' doomed romance with Pharaoh Atem's trusted magician. They had married in secret with only Shada present, blessing them beneath the pantheon of Egyptian gods. Only days later he had sacrificed his soul in battle with the Thief King. But that wasn't her life.

"That is not important. Why is Kisara's soul alive?"

Shadi sighed sadly and eyed the golden ankhs at the base of Queen Kisara's coffin; her own past was a lot more important than she realised, and she would have to come to terms with that sooner or later.

"Matthew Ashbrook was the archaeologist to discover Pharaoh Seth's tomb and he touched the tablet. Kisara's soul merely sensed his connection to Aknadin's and Kiyoko Nagasaki fell pregnant only a fortnight later. Time has a way of freeing trapped souls."

He had hoped she would recognise his hint, but Ishizu was too focused on the problem at hand and her tunnel-vision obscured his heavy words.

"But surely her own uncle wouldn't harm her, I mean it's a different world we live in these days. Can't destiny be changed?"

"_Different_ doesn't mean better, old friend."

Shadi offered a sad smile and tossed Ishizu back her mobile phone with a smirk, knowing there was a message on it from a certain young man. Just about catching it, she immediately searched her pocket, knowing she had placed the phone in there after her chat with Ahmed.

"As for destiny, you may want to examine your own before calling for a change."

* * *

**A/n-**** Thanks a million for reading the newest chapter everyone and I hope you liked it!**

**Note 1:** The character of _'Fubeta'_ is based on a character seen in the Doma Arc of the anime, when Dartz took over KaibaCorp. He's the security member seen with Roland when Seto and Mokuba are picked up and is the first to insist on staying with Seto despite him technically not being his boss anymore. _'Fubeta'_ was the closest spelling I could get as his name is only mentioned in the Japanese dub unfortunately. :)

**Note 2:** And if anyone gets the movie-reference in Ishizu's opening paragraphs, then major kudos!


	42. Symbiosis

**Author's Note:** Update in just under a month? That's not too shabby for me! Thanks so much for all the lovely reviews and messages for the last chapter guys, and I really hope you like this one as much! Thanks once yet again to **Renolvr** for her endless rough-draft reading and fixing my disjointed chapters; how she hasn't got bored of Paper Roses yet is beyond me!

**Note:** An anonymous review for the last chapter asked for two things and I'm only too happy to oblige (that's what I'm here for!). An explanation of chapter 41's ending - I can't actually come right out and say it without major spoilers, but Seto and Kisara's isn't the only thread being pulled at. Other characters also had a past and deserve a chance. And you also asked for more Seto and Kisara romance - the ending is for you! :)

* * *

_When everything's made to be broken I just want you to know who I am._

* * *

Why would he have given it to him? Was this supposed to be some attempt at redemption? He already had the three dragons and at least three separate strategies to summon them to the field; there was Paladin of White Dragon, then the Lord of Dragons and if all else failed he could always depend on good old Kaiser Sea Horse and its special effect as two summons for a Light-type monster. So why bother handing over the card people had been searching for? When it had been announced a new batch of Duel Monsters cards would hit the shelves half a year ago, the first new designs from the game's creator in years, most duelists had searched for the rarest card. Only one copy had been made and it had stumped people why they could never find it. It had never turned up because Pegasus had never released it to the public at all.

Their meeting had been a short and guarded one to say the least. The old man had said he was sending one of his employees to discuss some business topics, only to show up himself after the board of officials had vacated his office. As much as he hated the useless oafs, Seto would have gladly sat through another hour of their endless ramblings than listen to Pegasus warble on.

But the usual politeness and opening jibes took a back seat as Pegasus laid his cards on the table first thing, literally. Well, _one_ card. And Seto's defences had automatically jumped into place; if he was handing over this card, there had to be an ulterior motive. Maybe the card was blacklisted? Did it carry a virus?

His own technicians could check that for themselves, so Seto sat behind his desk, impassive as he had played the game of retorts with Industrial Illusions' owner.

"_Do you doubt my skills that much, that I'll need this against Vivian Wong?_"

"_On the contrary, Kaiba-boy, I have money wagered that you'll trounce Miss Wong. It is Yugi-boy you'll have to beat._"

"_And this card will do that, will it_?"

Pegasus had tut-tutted at that and flashed him a wry smile, flicking his hair back from his one brown eye.

"_Now, now. I was hoping your skills had not diminished _that_ far. Surely you can get the better of Yugi-boy without my help._"

"_Then why bother giving it to me when others would pay through their noses for such a rare card_?"

"_I made her as a companion to the Blue-Eyes. You have all of the viable Blue-Eyes; it belongs with them, that is all. Use it if you wish or leave it out of your deck, Kaiba-boy. It does not bother me._"

He had left in a swish of his eccentric red suit then, leaving the card sitting on his desk and looking up at him. Other meetings had come and went during the day, design plans for their new development in eastern Domino, a budget for the new duel-disk model and sales figures since the tournament had begun. All the other duelists in his tournament spent the days between duels revising strategies and altering their decks, but he didn't have that pleasure right now; his business needed him more. Besides, he knew his deck like the back of his hand and hadn't altered it in years; he knew each and every one of the cards fastened to his belt, so why would he need a new one?

Seto sighed and turned to look out over the cityscape; Domino had grown dark a couple of hours ago and he'd have to go home sooner or later, with or without an answer from Toshi. Even right now, Seto wasn't quite sure about this newest business venture and wanted the other man to talk him out of it more than anything. But he soon grew bored of the city-view and turned back around to his desk, picking up the new card and studying it.

_Blue-Eyed Maiden_. Even the name of the card spoke volumes more about his personal life than he would have liked. Her blue eyes were the same, her bangs sweeping to the same side of her face and her hair the same colour. But that was where the similarities ended as far as he was concerned. The illustration's hair was much longer and had small braids wound through it, her dress the same roughspun colour as a lifetime ago, but adorned with light blue accents here and there.

Zero attack and defence points, but a special effect that needed to be reckoned with. If she was targeted by an attack or a monster's special effect, it was negated and one Blue-Eyes White Dragon could be special summoned frmo hand, deck or graveyard. The only way to defeat her would be a magic or trap card - any attack would just summon another Blue-Eyes. Of all the new cards Pegasus had churned out, she was the one least known about but most-sought, with only one copy in circulation. Rare collectors had plagued him for weeks after the cards had been released, offering all kinds of prices for the card, but he hadn't even known of her then.

Vivian would be no problem to beat, he knew that - the worst monster she had in her arsenal was Dragon Lady and he had a handful of monsters strong enough to deal with her, though it would be entertaining to see her defeated by Kisara's card-look-a-like. Smirking to himself, Seto stood from his desk and added the card to the top of his deck; he had run tests on it all day and the card was clean as a whistle. Maybe he would use it, maybe he wouldn't. He didn't know yet, but he was certain of being in that final duel across from Yugi. The door of his office loomed and, just as he made to open it, Seto felt his the hairs on his neck stand on end and turned around to survey his office.

"I suggest you show yourself and stop hiding like a coward."

In the darkness behind the couch a shadow detached from the rest and strode forward, blank eyes guiltless at being caught.

"You never were one to mince your words."

Seto blinked and the next moment, the man was mere steps away from him and staring straight into his own eyes. What could have been a sad smile pulled at his lips, but Seto found himself more relieved than angry. Berating himself, he squashed the relief and fixed the stranger with a glare; he _should_ be angry with the trespasser - the same trespasser he'd glimpsed outside his house, the same one who had intruded into his study at home.

"Who are you, how did you get in here? Why are you following me?"

The blank eyes remained indifferent as the man shrugged his shoulders and sighed.

"I cannot answer questions you already know the answer to."

"Enough bloody riddles. Why? Why are you here?"

"I came to this office because you were not at your house."

Literality was not what Seto wanted right now, some afterthought picking up on the fact that the man had already been to the mansion before appearing in the office.

"Here; this time and this life you idiot."

"I am not the idiot, Seto Kaiba. I just got you to admit to a past life, Seth."

The courtyard, the dungeon, the hot sun and dank smell of the cells beneath the sand. He had no problem admitting it to himself these days, the nightmares were enough to constantly remind him, but to another person was something else. Speechless for the first time in a long time, Seto just blinked and levelled the man with his coldest stare. All he got in response was a hearty smile that lit up those blank eyes for a split-second; even half a chuckle escaped the tanned man.

"I miss joking with you like this, old friend."

"Yeah, you're a real hoot."

"I am no owl. Though I am a messenger pigeon of sorts. Take this; it belongs with you and you may have need of it soon. I should be able to warn you if danger approaches her though."

The gold was warm to touch, the eye staring blindly up at him from the rounded top of the rod and the hidden dagger he knew was concealed from view. It could peer into a person and pull a Ka from them if need be, he knew that and suddenly remembered how to do it. He remember walking along through the dusty street of the capital and happening across a band of criminals; Shada had helped him harness the Rod's power. _Shada_.

But when Seto shook himself and looked up from the recollection he was alone in the office. He would have written the exchange off as a sleep-deprived imagining if not for the millennia-old artefact held in his hand. A sharp knock at the door made him jump, knowing Rin would be a mere second behind her knock. The Rod slid neatly between his belt and jeans and his jacket covered the gold and hid it from view.

His mind wandered as Rin prattled on about Toshi asking to meet him tomorrow; the secretary was still being saccharine in her politeness since her over-stepping the line last week. She offered a meeting at midday tomorrow and all he could think of was how hot the sun used to be on the sand at midday.

Even when he had made it home well after midnight, Seto was sorely tempted to go to the museum and hand the cursed thing over to Ishtar if she still worked there. But surely it had been given to him for a reason? He didn't like where his train of thought was going right now; it was only a small step from reasons to fate and destiny.

The mansion was in darkness and he left the jeep out the front, too lazy to wait for the garage door to roll up and down; no one would be enough of an idiot to touch his cars on his own property. Why exactly he'd driven it today, he didn't know. There was something about the roar of the big jeep's engine and the way the vehicle sped up when he changed gears at the right time that made him prefer it to the various other cars stored in the garage.

Kai was the only one awake in the house and greeted him in her usual manner, her bark sliding into an excited half-hearted howl as her tail lashed back and forth and she jumped up to play-wrestle with him.

"Shhhh, go on, outside for a few minutes."

The husky wasted no time as he pointed outside and bounded out into the frosty night. The snow had begun to stave off recently, with frost re-freezing the melt during the night. The red and white blur raced from one side of the lawn to the other, not content to do her business in just one place. He actually pitied the gardeners when spring arrived and it came time to tend the grounds; they'd be finding ripe presents all over the joint. But he wouldn't change her; as much as he'd been against getting a dog in the past, Seto actually liked Kai, though he'd never admit it. She was a clever dog and had gotten the hang of house-training fairly quick, along with sit, lie-down and give-me-the-paw.

"In now, Kai. Bed."

She knew her owners too. She knew she could turn those eerie white-blue eyes on Mokuba and he would give her an extra treat, she knew not to pull on the lead when she was out walking with Kisara and she knew to obey what he told her.

She skittered across the marble floor, nails slipping on the smooth tiles and clumsily making it to her bed with a small bit of dignity left. Half-eaten toys were stacked in a tub beside her bed, diligently put back there when she was finished playing with them; a training quirk that Aki had taught her as a pup. A pup - she was more dog than puppy now, with pointed ears, a thick coat and a tail not unlike a fox's. That and her size too, she was just about full-grown with her back reaching well above his knee. Watching as she awkwardly walked a small circle in her bed, Seto smirked; they had to get her a bigger bed, even a doghouse or something a bit more substantial than the soft cushion thing she had picked herself as a tiny pup.

"Good girl …"

Her tail lashed about again as he ruffled her ears and started up the stairs, the gold hitting off the end of his black bomber jacket with every step he took. Almost tripping over an abandoned pair of sneakers, Seto kicked them out of the way and spared his brother's door an annoyed glare; it wasn't that hard to pick up after himself. Still, at least the kid was returning to some normality; Isamu would be commissioner over his duel with Vivian and Roland would be overseeing the final, which fell on a weekend, so Mokuba had to start back into the normal routine of school come morning. That should be fun, trying to get him out of bed; his brother was not a morning person in any sense of the word.

Seeing a light on in the library, Seto reached in a hand and switched it off; yet another quirk of Mokuba's - the kid thought electricity was free. At least he had been in the library, though Seto did doubt exactly how much homework his brother had done. Mokuba was clever and didn't struggle in school, but he'd never be an academic. He was more than capable of straight As and should probably be brought forward a year or two subject wise to challenge him, but the teenager didn't want any of that. All he wanted to do was get through school in one piece and play soccer or go boxing with his friends and Seto couldn't blame him. For what they'd been through, Mokuba had come out surprisingly normal and if the worst he did was leave the lights on, then Seto would just have to switch them off again.

There was another light left on, this time in his own room and Seto had to smirk as he closed the door quietly behind him. His bedside light was switched on and someone had migrated over to his side of the bed too.

_I should be able to warn you if danger approaches her …_

He didn't know what that danger would be, but he was quite sure of who would pose the threat. He hadn't talked to Vivian since the morning after Kisara's operation, nor had he looked back over those medical files; Dr. Arai had reclaimed the notes to keep on-record should she ever be brought back to the hospital. Kisara hadn't even given the slightest hint of knowing he'd been privy to her medical history, instead she had gone for walks with Kai, played the piano, gone shopping with Mai and she had said something about going to the cinema with Vivian today, but he'd been too rushed this morning to pay full attention. Some film about a guy in a metal suit that had a talking computer.

She didn't even stir as he crossed the room to the walk-in wardrobe. He really didn't have the head to deal with this kind of stuff right now; there was too much on the line to risk screwing it up with a rash decision. The top shelf above his suits would suffice for now, the clothes hiding the gold from view. He might not even need the damned thing, though even he knew that was wishful thinking.

Seto sighed and ran a hand through his hair, abandoning his jacket on the floor. He left the rest of his clothes there as well, too tired to bother folding them for the next day. He barely even felt the phone charger when he stood on it, kicking the contraption to the other side of the room and finally making it to bed.

But even in the darkness, Seto found no peace of mind at all. He still had to meet with Toshi and try to somehow find a way to refuse Koji's posthumous offer; surely Reika would understand why - what did they know about zoos? Staring up at the apathetic ceiling, the young man heaved a sigh; what if Jonathon decided to visit Japan, or Kisara asked to visit France? He couldn't just say no and whip out a golden rod that was thousands of years old. But he couldn't just ignore what he'd seen in her medical files either.

She was turned away from him, but Seto could see how the duvet rose and fell with every breath she took and the tresses of white that spilled out beside her. He couldn't blame her either though … he was still keeping a lot of things from her too, and not just the past. Kisara knew him as the owner of KaibaCorp, the orphan boy Gozaburo adopted, but she didn't know anything about the little kid that had once lived in Onjuku in Chiba prefecture. He hadn't visited the town in years, stealing away there just before the drama of Duelist Kingdom. The only problem were his relations that still resided in the seaside town; uncles, aunts and cousins that seemed to crop up out of nowhere to try and make amends every so often. At least his mother's family had taken the hint and the money he offered to stay away, but his father's lot were an entirely different story. They had abandoned them, left them at the orphanage like unwanted pests and they expected him to care about them now? They could all rot as far as he was concerned. If he could have run them out of Onjuku, Seto knew he would have; the town would be all the more inviting without the roaches crawling about.

Kisara stirred and he smirked as she crinkled her nose up at something in her dream. Maybe that was what they needed; a break away from the city and away from watching eyes, away from Domino and away from the media. Once this tournament was over, he'd show her Onjuku from the statues on its beach to the narrow little streets through the older part of town. He had never bothered telling any of the other girls about his hometown, the women far too satisfied with the mansion and attention they got for sleeping with him. But they had all been a waste of time as far as he was concerned; he had only ever slightly cared about maybe two or three of them. As for Kisara, he probably cared way too much or not enough … Seto couldn't quite make his mind up which of the two. But he did know that he didn't _just_ care about her.

"I do actually love you."

The silent bedroom didn't give a toss about the confession as he pulled the duvet back up to cover her shoulders, and neither did the sleeping mansion or the countless critters moving about in the woods outside. But the one person who did care about those words was the one person he hadn't wanted to hear them.

He had said it so quietly that Kisara doubted herself at first, only sure of it when arms wrapped around her. She had been just about to ask him what was bugging him, the tossing and turning having woken her. But then he had spoken and she had to fight not to smile or blush or cry; if Seto had wanted her to hear him say it, then he would have said it to her face. Instead she simply carried on the pretence of sleep and hugged the arms around her.

* * *

It was happening again. She wasn't a psychologist by any means, but she was a wife who knew her husband and knew the signs to watch out for. The endless hours cooped up in the manor's reading room, the guilty looks and thick tension in the air; even the four maids could sense it and seemed subdued as of late.

This year marked their 31st wedding anniversary and Isabelle doubted they would make it to next year if her suspicions were correct. It had taken her four years to confront him the last time, sending Kisara away to China and making Jonathon look long and hard at himself. She had told him he would die a lonely old man if he didn't seek help and change his ways. She had even threatened to walk out and leave him, though where she would have went Isabelle had no clue.

But he had listened back then, employing a therapist, cutting out the gambling and alcohol. That had been one of the happier times in her marriage, one of the rare happy spells since Natalie's death. There had been no more angry blows or short fuses to dodge, only the man she had married an entire lifetime ago. But Isabelle's plans rarely went the way she wanted them to and she had created a new problem by sending Kisara to the safety of China; the girl had become enamoured with a boy over there. So Mathew's daughter had been drafted back to France after a year and then sent globe-trotting from university to university, only returning for holidays and bringing the same old tension back with her.

She had tried to explain how much better Jonathon was doing, that he had been getting help, but Isabelle couldn't blame the girl for being wary. Even she was still nervous at times; when he stood too close or placed a hand on her back she had to stop herself from jumping time and time again. Fear breeds reflexes and she and Kisara had that much in common. Even when the atmosphere relaxed to the point of near-normalcy, the woman would spy Kisara blushing and glancing at the ground to avoid eye contact with her uncle or make some excuse to go for a walk outside; anything to be away from him.

And the thought that it could all go back to the way it was before petrified the woman to her core; she had coped once, but that was enough. She had kept it together when Nat died, raised Kisara as her own and protected her as best as she could … though the poor child had still suffered through an awful childhood - maybe she would have been better staying in Japan after her mother's death. She had thought of that a lot lately; if Kisara had stayed in Japan, then Natalie would still be alive. But Isabelle would have never seen the impish smiles when _petite Sara _had finally understood English and French, or her ceaseless giggling at some nonsensical children's film. No, she had lost one daughter too soon and failed to protect her other girl. But she was safe now. Safe from punches and slaps, from harsh words and drunken damnations. Safe from the blame Jonathon had saddled on his niece for years.

Japan was a world away from southern Italy and she was thankful for that as the news station beamed a picture of Gozaburo's son and his new business endeavour. Her husband had lapsed back into his old habits as of late, rarely sleeping and far too interested in Kisara's current actions for her liking. The girl had finally found some modicum of happiness and she was damned if anything was going to disturb that.

Some secretive man had arrived at the manor yesterday toting a small box that Jonathon had promptly taken to the reading room upstairs, holed up in there since. Whatever the delivery entailed, she hoped it would keep him distracted long enough to finally see sense; he needed to hand over the helm of the Estates to Kisara before things got more tangled than they already were. She should have been appointed Chief Executive Officer two years ago, as Mathew intended, but instead Jonathon had held onto the company and things were teetering on the precipice of illegality as it stood. He had even fired one of their older accountants because the man had suggested a hand-over to Kisara, and that man was now filing unfair dismissal against them and they had no defence … a lawsuit would only draw unwanted attention to the retention of CEO status. She had tried telling Jonathon such, but she was only a foolish woman who knew little of business. Funny that, she knew so little but it was enough to know what was legal and what crossed the line.

Deliberately turning her thoughts away from business, Isabelle switched on the television and smiled as Marie, the oldest of her maids, appeared and rolled her eyes; the fundamentals of the game bored the woman. The Ashbrook matriarch had been trying to establish some kind of grasp on Duel Monsters lately, bored of all her books and utterly exhausted of walking the same route around the vineyard. That said, she was still utterly lost for most of the duels she had watched.

A couple of days ago it had been a duel between a blond stranger and a German she had once known quite well, until Hans' mind had slipped and Jonathon insisted on cutting ties with the man. She was no idiot though and knew Kisara and Zigfried had kept in touch for quite some time after his father's illness - maybe they could have even been more than friends in some other life.

Two new people flashed up on the screen, one a dark-haired young woman she had seen before and the other was currently engaged to her niece. She was becoming quite fond of Seto Kaiba; he was a good-looking young man and seemed to genuinely care about Kisara, that and he had a certain air about him, the way he smirked and joked with the black-haired girl.

That confounded Duel Monsters game was a whole other problem though. Boredom had turned Isabelle's interest to the strategic game but, try as she might, the rules simply evaded her time and time again. And why the world was so engrossed in a card game was completely beyond her, but she wouldn't deny how impressive those holograms of Kaiba's were. Or of how easily he evaded the attack sent his way and dispatched of the other monster.

Wong, that was her name; Vivian Wong. The same girl that Kisara had lived with in China, the daughter of the jewellers who had taken a stab at everything from modelling to martial arts and dueling. Unfortunately, it seemed that Gozaburo's son had the upper hand in this department and was soon reducing the girl's life points to a mere fraction of his own. Not to sell Ms. Wong short, she was feisty and fought back with some other kind of green cards, apparently magical ones, and took a chunk of his life points with her. Evidently not enough though, for her counter reached zero before Kaiba's and the crowd erupted in cheering.

Vivian Wong seemed an amicable girl that she had judged wrong in the past as she pouted and offered something of a two-fingered salute to Kaiba, stopped only by Kisara's stern look, a disapproving frown that she had taught the girl years ago. No, she would never deny the freedom Kisara had found in Japan, the friends she had made or just how happy she seemed whenever she appeared beside Seto.

* * *

"Do you think Vivian will get over it?"

Kisara smiled as she considered an answer to the question, watching as Mokuba tried to figure out the mangled instructions Kai had half-eaten.

"I'm sure she will, well she's had four days so she must have cooled down by now … I hope."

It was Mokuba's turn to smile at that and he nodded his head. Vivian had put up a good fight, but her deck just wasn't well enough structured to stand up to Seto's. Crush Card Virus had decimated her deck early on and all Seto had to do then was pick off the weak monsters she sent out to defend her. There had been one point though where she had used a sneaky Mirror Force to take away a chunk of his life points, but Seto had responded with Cave Dragon and brought the duel to a definite end. Meaning he would be facing Joey Wheeler in the next tier; Mai's boyfriend had learned from his last encounter with Zigfried and had anticipated his Valkyrie strategy, skilfully dodging it and beating the German. According to Mokuba it had been the first time Seto had been happy for Joey to win.

Taking a stab at interpreting the instructions herself, Kisara eyed the flat-pack and seriously doubted her DIY skills. She had made a remark earlier that Kai was outgrowing her current bed, so Mokuba had offered to go to the pet store with her and they had picked up a new PVC doghouse and bed to go in it … only the thing had remained in jigsaw form as Kai had run off with the instructions and decided she liked the taste of them.

Mokuba frowned as he tried to fit two pieces together, neither piece willing to couple with its partner. They had been here for well over an hour at this stage and even the maids had each taken a turn at the doghouse.

"Maybe if we leave the cardboard box here she'll sleep in that?"

The plastic panel clattered the floor as Mokuba lost his patience and ran a hand through his hair in annoyance; he was smart and could work out most problems, so how come this simple thing was making him look like an idiot? Kisara frowned and shook her head, too stubborn to call quits on the cursed thing. Even Roland had come up with no ideas on how the house was supposed to be put together and Isamu had just shrugged as the roof-panel he'd been working on fell apart; the two men had given up on the house after that.

Standing up to stretch her legs, Kisara tried to keep her thoughts on the doghouse, but to no avail. Things had been different lately and she wasn't sure if she liked it. He had said those words, she was sure of it, but he hadn't said them to her face; she shouldn't have heard them at all. But Seto had been a lot more distant since then and she was putting it down to the tournament and everything else he had to deal with, from the new building to the Duel Academy Mokuba had told her about and something else he kept meeting Toshi about. But that didn't explain the plain-clothed security personnel she could see tailing her around Domino when she went shopping with Vivian and Mai. Two weeks ago she wouldn't have noticed them at all, but she knew most of their faces now and there was no way Knuckles and Story-Teller were simply visiting the exact same shops as her, or that Moody and Beardy liked to spend their days off at the ice rink.

Kisara recognised the logic to a certain extent; the woman in the hospital had gotten too close and there were people out there who wished to harm her. But she didn't see why Seto hadn't let her in on the secret, instead going behind her back. It felt more like she was being spied on and she didn't want to think that of him, so she hadn't raised the question with anyone yet. Maybe she was just being way too paranoid?

The arrival of Kiku in the foyer broke her guilty train of thought, the maid offering a smile as she handed over a tattered sheet of paper and pointed a finger at Kai.

"I believe someone left this upstairs on her adventures."

The woman shook her head as the husky wagged her tail, eyes trained on the chewed missing sheet of instructions. _Kunoichi,_ that was the nickname Isamu had told her … something about hardly ever being seen, just like a ninja. Mokuba took a look at the new doghouse instructions and kicked another panel of plastic away, unable to make it fit in place.

"Thanks Kiku, how's Rika doing?"

"She's fine sir, a bit tired but excited."

She heard the words, but it took a long beat before Kisara understood the conversation. Rika was her stylist, the young woman who had been invaluable to her since her arrival in Japan, from picking dresses to doing her hair and make-up for any and all functions. Apparently she had worked for KaibaCorp for a few years now, usually limited to getting employees ready for television appearances and was a niece of Kiku's. Whilst helping her choose a dress to wear to Seto and Vivian's duel, Rika had shyly announced she was expecting a baby with her husband. Kisara had happily congratulated the woman, only then noticing the slight swell of her stomach beneath the loose blouse and Rika had grinned and babbled on like her usual self and how she had already hit a wall with her hubby; he wanted her to cut back on work already and she was only too content with sifting through dresses and making up new looks.

Finally one piece of the doghouse decided to play nice and joined with its counterpart, Mokuba ecstatic at the tiny step of progression. Kisara gave up on the instructions and passed them across the impossible construction as Kai curled up on the floor beside her.

"I wonder how Hiroki's gonna cope with being a daddy!"

She looked to the teenager as he spoke to Kiku; she knew that name and the face that went with it, but surely it had to be a different man? Like Yugi's father having the same name as old Koji Harada.

"Hiroki?"

"Yup, Rika's married to Hiroki from the limo fleet. They met in KaibaCorp and the rest is history."

"Well I think it's nice. Sort of like Izumi and Ichiro, and Roland and Emiko."

Kiku smiled and ruffled Kai's ears before taking her leave from the foyer. Fishing her phone from her pocket, Kisara made a memo on it; Izumi was Suzuki's wife, so that meant Suzuki's name was Ichiro - Isamu would be please with the knowledge. Pocketing her phone again, Kisara looked to Mokuba as he attacked the doghouse with a new vigour, his face amusingly serious. She nudged a side-panel out of the way and picked up the piece he was looking for, smiling at his utter stubbornness. Even the prodigal sheet Kiku had returned did little to help their sorry attempts at construction. Maybe it was the poor diagrams or maybe it was because neither of them really had the motivation to finish the house.

They would have still been there come midnight had the front door not opened after another hour and a familiar figure simply stared down at both of them. Of all the sights Seto had come home to over the years, ranging from Mokuba's messy phase to Kaoru Akiyama having a full-blown fight with one of the gardeners, this one definitely won first place. Two sorry looking faces and a mess of plastic; even Kai looked bored at the situation.

"Do I want to ask?"

"It's a new doghouse … well it's meant to be. Help please?"

Mokuba lay out on the marble floor and fixed his brother with an upside-down puppy-dog look, offering up the sorry excuse for instructions. Watching the younger brother, Kisara had to smile; Mokuba really knew how to work the pleading look, he even pouted.

"I've seen you dismantle duel-disks to get the circuits out of them and you can't get _this_ together?"

"It's harder than it looks, I will give you two-thousand yen if you can put it together quicker than us."

"Deal."

She smiled again as Mokuba handed over the instructions and took his brother's keys in trade. She honestly wished him good luck with the impossible thing - surely it had to be defective if they were having such trouble with it. Seto only spared the instructions a quick glance before balling them up and throwing them to one side, studying the thicket of plastic before sliding one piece into another. He struggled with the same roof-panel Isamu had, but one forceful thump secured it in place, along with a kick for the left wall-panel. In the end, Mokuba begrudgingly handed over the Japanese equivalent to just over fifteen Euro in crumpled notes.

"Okay, so you're good. Any luck with Toshi?"

It said a lot when Seto didn't even answer properly, just shook his head forced out an annoyed sigh. Mokuba shrugged and placed Kai's new bed inside her house before heading for the kitchen.

"There was some mail for you earlier, but I didn't want to open it."

Glad for the help, Kisara took the hand Seto offered her; she had been sitting on the floor for so long half her bottom was gone numb. Following after Mokuba, she blushed as his low voice whispered in her ear from behind, lips on her neck.

"I missed you today …"

The doubt she had been feeling about the security team melted away in an instant and she had to force herself to keep going to the kitchen, pulling him along with her as her stomach jumped in excitement; they hadn't had sex since before the whole appendix-drama and she deserved a medal for chastity at this rate. The lips were back on her neck as she pushed through the swinging door in giggles.

"Seriously you two, I'm too young for this!"

Mokuba hopped from his perch on the table, covering his eyes and complaining loudly as he handed over the envelopes to his brother and made to bail from the room.

"I've got some homework to do."

"Better hope it's not construction studies after that doghouse."

The teen had no answer for that and merely stuck his tongue out as he walked backwards through the door into the foyer. Claiming Mokuba's seat on the corner of the table, Kisara swept her fringe out of her eyes and idly began plaiting a length of her hair.

"What's wrong with Toshi?"

It didn't take a genius to work out that neither Seto nor Toshi were seeing eye to eye at the minute. What was supposed to be one meeting last week had lengthened into an ongoing argument about something or other. She just hoped the falling-out wasn't anything too permanent - she liked Toshi a lot. When Seto spoke, it was with a tone of disinterest.

"I just wish he could walk a mile in my shoes."

He scanned each envelope before dumping certain ones in the bin and relegating others to the top of the microwave oven.

"So that he'll see things from your perspective?"

"So that he'll be at least a mile away from me."

Kisara tutted; falling out with friends was never a good road to take whether right or wrong. Someone would just have to swallow their pride and be the bigger man.

"Be nice. You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar."

She watched as he walked to the utility room, quite taken with the view his open shirt offered her. The answer to her adage was a little less eloquent than she had come to expect from the boss of the world's largest gaming corporation though.

"Yeah, well shit attracts even more."

"_Touché."_

But still, she knew from experience what it felt like to lose a friend. Pulling her phone from her pocket, Kisara fired off a text to Vivian to see if she had calmed down at all. She had taken losing to Seto better than expected, but Viv would still need a few days to sate her temper at falling for such an obvious trap card - everyone knew Crush Card Virus was one of Seto's signature cards, even she knew that and she was still a complete novice at Duel Monsters.

"Seto?"

"If it's another spider, I'm not falling for it."

She laughed at that, after she had checked the table for spiders, and shook her head.

"What are you two arguing about, you and Toshi?"

"Way to kill the mood, Kisara."

She shrugged, smiling as he reappeared in a pair of jeans and a hoody. Picking up his bundle of keys from the table where Mokuba had left them, Kisara fidgeted with the jeep's key as hands rested on the table on either side of her.

"It's Koji's zoo chain. Reika had the will released last week and he wants us to inherit Kawaii zoos but we're allowed to contest it. Toshi didn't but I did."

"Why? They have no children, who else would run the …"

She trailed off with a blush as Seto smirked; even she could hear the childish excitement in her voice. Owning a zoo just seemed rather enchanting to her, though the adult in her reappeared with obvious logic - it wasn't just one zoo, it was a worldwide chain of them plus veterinary care, employee wages, food costs, zoo upkeep and countless other money-gobbling things.

"What would I know about zoos, Kisara? I could make a holographic one, but I wouldn't have a clue about the real thing. I prefer computers to animals … I'm surprised Kai's even lasted this long if I'm being honest."

"But Koji wanted you two to run it, surely that means something."

She said it quietly, not too sure if she had crossed a line by bringing Koji into the fray, but Seto merely nodded his head, hands resting lightly on her thighs.

"That's the angle Toshi's taking too; the guilt-trip one. But I have KaibaCorp to deal with, the new building and the Duel Academy. I can only do so much … I don't even get to see you enough as it is."

A light kiss punctuated his words and Kisara smiled sadly as she brushed his hair away from the scar above his eyebrow.

"Why can't Toshi do it on his own?"

"Because he has Miki to think of, and the will names the two of us; he would have to buy me out of one half of it and Kawaii zoo chain is a very well-established corporation - the cost of the shares would damage Fujiwara Pharmaceuticals. So I can either agree and screw up Koji's business or I can bankrupt my friend …."

His hands stayed on her thighs, but it was his eyes Kisara found herself helplessly looking at; she'd only seen him looking so lost about something once before. All of a sudden he was back to being the man sitting on her bed with no words, only that look in his eyes.

"Seto. I can't make that decision, but if it was me I would take the plunge. He named you and Toshi … if Koji named you both, then he obviously thought you were capable of doing the job."

"What if someone had named you as CEO, would you do it?"

"I'd be petrified, but I'd do it because Koji thought I could …"

When exactly the goal of the conversation had changed, Seto wasn't quite sure but he had gotten an answer to one of the things bugging him; he would have to tell her about the Estates, that her uncle had been illegally holding them in his name and orchestrating things in her stead. And there was no time like the present; he had learned that from his mistake with the time-limit scandal.

"Kisara, what if I told you-"

"Why don't you just keep Reika involved?"

"What?"

She had cut across him so abruptly Seto completely lost sight of what he was going to say; what did Koji's widow have to do with the conversation in the slightest? The pure excitement on his fiancée's face as she beamed a proud smile made him pay attention though.

"That's it! You and Toshi could take the names of CEOs, but keep Reika in charge of the zoo chain. I mean, she's done it her whole life so who better to show you two the ropes in the beginning? Ask her which employees she trusts the most, like you with Roland, and train those people to take most of the tasks so both you and Toshi still have time for your companies. Change official bosses, but keep everything working like it is now … like when Disney took over Marvel!"

Ignoring the fact that she had just compared his business to Disney in the longest line-up of words he'd ever heard from her, Seto clearly recognised the intelligence in her plan. Keeping Reika as the working CEO would definitely help things run smoother, so long as they doled out most of the hard work to the younger staff members. The more he considered it, the more certain he became that it would work and stumped as to why he hadn't thought of it.

"You're a genius."

She blushed a deep red and shook her head; she just really wanted to be able to visit the zoo again if she was being completely honest about it. Seto was on the phone to Toshi by the time she had reined in her goofy smile; she had actually fixed something for once. Even Toshi's tiny voice on the other end of the line sounded excited about the development, but Kisara was just happy the two weren't fighting anymore. The excited smile on Seto's face only served in luring back out her ditzy grin as he brushed her hair behind her ear.

"I've got to back into the city for a bit to make this official. This is actually going to work Kisara, I knew I loved you for a reason!"

Seto heard his words the same time she did and both froze, smiles fading in an instant; he had just been babbling like an excited kid and let it slip out that was all. A simple slip of the tongue … but an idiotic thought told her it was a Freudian slip; she had heard him say those words to her back days ago. Her attention quickly dropped back down to the bunch of keys; he could backtrack out of this if he wanted to and she would never bring it up.

Instead he took the keys from her and placed them on the table, lifting her chin until she looked him in the eye, the same arrogant smirk playing at his lips.

"I love you."

The certainty in his words brought back her goofy smile as he stepped closer. The first kiss was a light one and she giggled as he teased her and bit her bottom lip. Another kiss followed, deeper and hungrier than the last and she felt her stomach flip as his hands slid beneath her bottom and pulled her against him. The game was always the same; which one would break first, which of them would be the one to gasp or moan … and she always lost.

The kisses moved to her neck, slower until they turned into light nips and she had to bite her tongue to stop from losing. Her hand found the hem of his hoody and slipped underneath, up over the muscles of his stomach until an evil thought dawned on her and he nipped her ear. Instead she moved her hand in the other direction, tracing it down to the waist of his jeans and circled the button. She thought she heard a gasp there, but she couldn't be sure so Kisara smiled and trailed a bit lower, running her finger up and down the material covering the zipper.

"Kisa- mmm …"

The kissing stopped then, replaced by heavy breathing and his hands gripping her tighter. She smiled, absurdly proud of herself for the second time that evening.

"I win."

"You cheated … I can meet with Toshi tomorrow."

Folding her arms across her chest, Kisara shook her head and stole a quick kiss of her own. Her selfish side was all for agreeing with him, but he needed to sort out this business problem and get back on good terms with Toshi. Seto grumbled something she couldn't quite catch and dipped his head to leave one last kiss on her neck, hands slowly moving up her thighs. His teeth grazed over her skin and Kisara felt herself blushing as she let the gasp escape.

"I win round two."

He smiled against her neck then, grabbing the keys off the table; this would most definitely be a quick trip to the city.

* * *

**A/n- Thanks a million for reading guys! And for all the lovely PMs and reviews for the last chapter!**

**Note:** Blue-Eyed Maiden is a real card and is being released in Japan this year. (I totally fan-girled when I saw it!)


	43. Cataclysm

**Author's Note:** Hi guys! An update in ten days? I think the last time I updated this quickly was when Paper Roses was still a little baby, can you tell holidays are finally here? Anyways, thanks as always to **Renolvr** and also to all the nervous anons I scared on Tumblr with that preview of this chapter!

* * *

_I thought our days would last forever, but it wasn't our destiny._

* * *

Joey Wheeler's duel had been fun to watch, and she didn't mean that in a bad way. It had been entertaining to see him age Baby Dragon with the help of Time Wizard and those scapegoats had definitely come in handy halfway through the match-up. Of all the duels in the tournament so far, Kisara had to admit that Seto and Joey's had been the most exciting, punctuated by trash-talk and insults placed on the field in tandem with monsters.

The whole of the Kaiba Dome had leapt to its feet when Seto finally won, though only with aid from his magic card Emergency Provisions and a well-timed Attack Guidance Armour. There had only been a narrow 200 life-points in the difference when Joey's counter hit zero. So that only left three short days until the final duel with Yugi and Kisara found herself quite apprehensive. She was nervous for Seto, her stomach knotting up at the thought of him losing, but she was also fearful for a whole other reason; what would happen when the competition was over and finished with?

Ever since her arrival in Japan, life had been structured around and geared towards the dueling tournament in some way. The day she had first seen KaibaCorp had been the registering day, which Seto had forgotten about. Then there had been the tournament launch, followed by the preliminary street-duels and then the re-scheduling of the professional tier to accommodate Koji's funeral. Everything for the past few months had somehow been connected to the KC Champions' Clash, from the tournament itself to the constant rush that had existed in the mansion every day. But it would be over soon and Kisara wasn't quite sure what to do with her time once that happened.

She shook her head then and looked back to the sheet of paper on the table in front of her; boredom was the best weapon against procrastination. Seto had asked her to help tackle the flooding problem at the eastern Domino construction and Kisara almost had it figured out, with only small little details still up in the air. She had found the plans sitting alone on the table in the library about an hour ago and curiosity had gotten the better of her; a state-of-the-art self-closing floodgate or at the entrance to the underground parking lot would protect employee vehicles, along with automatic sealers on the frames of all ground-level doors in the building. Precipitation gauges fitted around the building would help forewarn of any immanent threats, along with depth gauges fitted along the river to keep tabs on any rises in water-level.

Another set of plans had been left on the table too, these ones of the infamous Duel Academy that been causing so many problems. It was along the same latitude as Maximillion's Duelist Kingdom Island and had the same basic geography with only one stark difference; the island Seto had bought possessed an active volcano. It was small in volcanic terms and mineral-rich, with felsic lava that oozed at a snail's pace the rare time an eruption did occur. Running an eye over the geographer's field-report, Kisara smiled to herself as she sat in the green-backed chair - the problems they'd been having with installing a class of heating impervious to the magnetic and temperature fluctuations could be easily remedied.

The sound of the mansion's doorbell made her look up and Kisara quickly scribbled down a few words and an arrow on the plans before standing and heading for the foyer. Kiku and Izumi were up on the third floor and wouldn't hear the door, Yumi and Chiyo were in the city on their break and Akari and her friends weren't working today. She had glimpsed Roland in the house earlier, along with Mokuba and Rin; word from the maids had it that Seto and Rin weren't on the best of terms lately.

The doorbell chimed again and Kisara hurried her way down the stairs, glancing Mokuba at the top of the stairs behind her; the guest could well be for him as Seto was in Domino trying to sift through the official paperwork for the zoo chain. Then again, Vivian had threatened to call around soon, finally over her loss to Seto in the tournament.

Opening the door as Roland appeared from the ground-floor study down the hall, Kisara didn't recognize the small fat man. Bald head, jowly cheeks, round glasses and something of an off-putting smile on the stranger's face put her on edge; he didn't have a nice air about him at all.

"C-can I help y-you?"

Mokuba heard the stammer in her words and took the stairs two at a time as Roland approached the door too, both deciding to deal with the visitor. The smile turned into a sneer and the short man rubbed his hands together, little beady eyes looking her up and down from behind the orange-tinted spectacles. A podgy hand reached out into the air to shake her own.

"So you're Kisara. I wanted to see you for myself. Tell me, has Master Seto mentioned me-"

"Don't touch her. You have a nerve, you little fool. Now get off of the property!"

Kisara had offered her hand to him out of pure politeness despite the hairs standing up on the back of her neck, but Roland's hand had reached out to pull hers back from the little man's and he stood in front of her, filling up the doorway as he snapped his words. Mokuba was behind her next pulling her back away from the door as the fat man trilled a laugh and Roland lost his cool, his voice echoing around the foyer.

"I said leave you son of a-"

"Roland, I'm sure Hobson was going."

Mokuba swooped in at the right moment, interceding between the duo, cutting off the swear and slamming the door in the ugly man's face. The teenager stood with his back against the door for a second, something Kisara hadn't seen before flashing across his eyes as he looked to Roland.

"Walk it off, Roland. Call Seto and let him know."

"Yes sir."

Kisara stood beneath the chandelier in utter confusion as the head of the security team gave a stiff bow and walked from the foyer; she had never heard Roland lose it like that - the man was always polite, to a fault even. It just seemed so out of character for him to swear and shout at someone that she guessed he had a past with the gouty man, or at least past-dealings with him.

"Mokuba, who-"

"Just a weirdo who got too close is all; we have seriously got to get those gates back working."

The teenager forced a laugh and the seriousness was gone from his eyes in an instant; the electronic gates to the Kaiba grounds had been broken for almost a month now, just sitting open and permitting anyone onto the property. Kisara got the uncanny feeling that things were being kept from her again, just as she had when she spotted Ko and Ai sitting in the back of the cinema as she and Vivian had taken their seats, but a small voice tapped at her conscience - if she was being kept in the dark about something, then surely it was for a reason. Or so she hoped.

* * *

Someone had fixed the broken wheel on her chair along with the glass covering her picture of Marik and Odion and she didn't need to ask who. She hadn't asked him to touch her personal things and repair them. Ishizu was glad for the squeak-free hinge and the non-flickering bulb above the white coffin, but now she was more angry with Ahmed than anything and she didn't know why. She had gotten no work done lately, too inclined to _almost_ text him or catching herself watching him just before he looked back at her.

Maybe she had been in the right all along not to accept undergraduate applications to study in the museum; she was too distracted with them around. But at least one good thing did come from the arrangement; they could deal with the little children on their field-trip.

"And here we have the sarcophagus of a mystery queen … can anyone tell me what a sarcophagus is?"

A dozen small hands shot into the air and Zakiya laughed as a little girl hopped from one foot to the other to be seen. Ishizu smiled as she looked out from her office and saw the children milling around the white sarcophagus, all in awe of the carved white marble; she could remember being that curios once upon a time. Zakiya took her time in walking around the ornate artefact before pointing to the enthusiastic little girl.

"Is it like a coffin?"

"Hmm … well, is it Ahmed?"

The Muslim girl pretended to look confused at the new question, turning to her colleague in an over-exaggerated way. Ishizu had helped Mohammad to show the older kids the video about Tutankhamun's tomb yesterday and answer their questions, so Zakiya and Ahmed had been landed with the younger kids from Domino's elementary school and the small ones were bursting with curiosity as their teachers ushered them from one end of the large exhibit room to the other.

"That's exactly what it is. What's your name?"

Another smile barged forward as Ahmed crouched down the girl's level and nodded his head. The child, so forward one second, promptly shrunk back beside her teacher and shook her head, refusing to answer. The chaperone placed a hand on the girl's head and laughed lightly as her pupil tried to hid behind her.

"What's wrong, Miki?"

"Miki? You're a very clever girl, Miki. Maybe you can tell me what a sphinx looks like?"

More hands flew into the air at Ahmed's question, but it was the shy little one to peek out from behind her teacher and speak.

"It's a lion with a person's head. But lions don't have people-heads … my daddy owns a zoo."

"A zoo? Awww, you're really lucky!"

The rest of the children piped up then, each one voicing their jealousy of Miki as she hid behind the teacher. The next thing on the agenda was a funerary mask that had once belonged to Tutankhamun, Zakiya leaving Ahmed to finish up the field-trip with the kids; she had prayers to attend. The children _ooohed_ and _aaaahed_ at the flawless golden likeness of the Boy King and asked countless questions about him; how had he died and if he really had walked with a cane.

Ishizu listened half-heartedly to the conversation, her attention on a picture she had received in an e-mail from Odion; Marik sat in a hospital bed, Kiya beside him and a sheepish smile on his face. She hadn't slept too well lately, torn between wanting to return home and visit her family or stick it out in Japan at least until she could be sure Kisara Ashbrook was safe.

"So who was his mother?"

It was one of the two teachers asking the question as she eyed the jet-black eyes of the mask, unable to hide her own curiosity at the item. Ahmed faltered for a second and scratched his head; this wasn't his area of expertise. He was an expert in fieldwork and translation; Zakiya was the prodigy in lab-work and DNA. Sensing the long pause, Ishizu walked out into the exhibit room and stood beside Ahmed, pointing with a friendly smile; she couldn't have people thinking her department was incompetent.

"For years that question has enamoured minds, but we finally have an answer thanks to DNA tests in Cairo University. Nefertiti-"

"The woman with the long neck over there."

Ahmed pointed out a picture of the famous beauty for the kids to see and then indicated the carved likeness in the stone stela behind them. Raising a finger to the Heretic King, Ishizu circled the pot-bellied figure.

"Nefertiti was married to Tutankhamun's father, but was only one of many wives. They had six daughters but no son … so then everyone thought Tutankhamun's mother was this woman, a possible Mitanni princess, but they were wrong again."

"This guy was a _serious_ ladies' man … he wasn't anything to look at though. "

The children and teachers laughed out loud as Ahmed stood back and studied the distorted depiction of Akhenaten beneath the Aten sun-disk. Even Ishizu chuckled and nodded her head; Akhenaten stood out amongst Egyptian Pharaohs for his moving of the royal capital to Amarna and his attempts to convert the kingdom to a monotheistic religion worshipping the sun-god Ra; that and his untraditional appearance. Every Pharaoh before and after him sought to depict themselves as godlike and revelled in perfection … whereas Akhenaten's likenesses possessed a pot-belly, almost a suggestion of breasts and an overall androgynous appearance. Why the man had been linked to so many young beautiful queens was definitely a mystery.

"But friends of ours in Cairo have finally identified Tutankhamun's mother as a mummy labelled _The Younger Lady_."

She left out the part about Tutankhamun's mother being a full biological sister to his father, and the fact that the woman had died a horrendous death with a large lethal wound destroying the left side of her cheek and jaw; the children could live with the enchantment of the Boy King for a little bit longer without knowing his own queen, Ankhesenamun, was also his half-sister.

One more look at the white sarcophagus followed, along with another crop of curious questions and raised hands. It was nice to see so many youngsters interested in the exhibit and Ishizu even answered some of their questions, explaining that the ankh was the symbol for life and that the Pharaohs hadn't lived in the pyramids at all. And then the teachers had instructed the class to say thank-you for their trip and led the obedient kids from the large room, the shy little girl called Miki looking back to wave goodbye at Ahmed. He returned the wave and smiled as the little one disappeared into the hallway.

"Thanks for saving me there … Zakiya's more of a DNA nut than I am."

Whether she heard her or not, Ishizu didn't answer and Ahmed just smiled and picked up a few bits of trash from the floor and walked towards the office they were all still sharing; the renovation work upstairs and down the hall was almost done so they wouldn't be crowding each other for very much longer.

"How's your brother?"

"Doing much better; they're releasing him tomorrow apparently."

Ahmed nodded his head then, gathering up the reports he had been sifting through in a bid to make some headway on his thesis. This thesis was going to take forever if he kept putting it on the long finger; he'd been meant to really bite into it today but helping Zakiya with the field-trip seemed way more fun than sitting down and reading outdated information for a few hours. Looking down at the computer screen, he smiled and pointed to the brunette sitting beside the blond.

"She's very pretty."

Ishizu nodded and smiled as he looked at Kiya; the girl was a beauty with light sea-green eyes and thick tresses of brown that she usually kept hidden. None of the Tombkeepers were Muslim or Coptic Christian or Jewish or Catholic; they adhered to the gods of old or remained agnostic in this world with so many different religions and she was quite alright with that, as were Marik and Odion and the rest of their family. But Kiya had been born into a Muslim family, her father dying before she was born and her mother leaving her as an infant in the Valley afterwards. The Ishtars had taken her in and brought her up, but she still relegated to certain Muslim attributes; Kiya preferred to cover her hair when in the presence of men, not so much Marik and Odion, but around others she sported a headscarf. The girl always wore long sleeves too, but that was where her habits died out; Kiya didn't follow the prayers and she didn't celebrate any Muslim feasts either; a real dichotomy between nature versus nurture.

"Kiya is Marik's girlfriend; they grew up together as friends."

"Kiya, huh? Tadukhipa? The lesser wife of Akhenaten, the one who was erased after year 11 in disgrace? Why would anyone name their daughter after her?"

"_Possible_ disgrace. Also a possible foreign princess and _beloved_ lesser wife. Owner of the ornate coffin in KV55 and exalted at Amarna. The only proof of her 'disgrace' is the destruction of her artefacts by the daughters of Nefertiti. I for one am supportive of the theory she died in childbirth and was usurped by Nefertiti and her brood. A lesser queen adored by her pharaoh … I think it is a fitting name for a girl abandoned by her mother."

Ishizu looked away as Ahmed frowned oddly at her, only then noticing she had been glaring at him angrily. Kiya was a nerve she didn't like touched, both the past woman and her brother's girlfriend. Scholars merely swept the Amarna-period queen under the carpet in preference of the infamous beauty of Nefertiti and her family had wanted nothing to do with the abandoned baby in the Valley of the Kings until Ishizu had wandered out and brought the baby to her old grand-aunty who had no husband or children left. Kiya had lived in the Valley with them ever since.

"I didn't mean to upset you-"

"I am not upset."

"Well then I didn't mean to offend you. I'm sorry."

He went back to clearing away the notes from earlier in the day and Ishizu studied the picture in silence. She knew why she became so angry every time someone brought up the question of Kiya in the Valley; what kind of mother would abandon her baby only months after her husband had died? Zahi had been a friendly man who had worked with Pegasus and Jonathon Ashbrook when the duo arrived to begin excavation on what would turn out to be Pharaoh Seth's tomb. He had died suddenly in his sleep, leaving a pregnant wife behind him. She sighed then and cursed her short fuse again.

Hearing the sigh, he smiled and shuffled away a few more notes; his seniors in Cairo had warned him of Ishizu Ishtar's seriousness and her work-orientated personality but no one had thought to warn him of her non-existent patience. She was like a minefield; one step forward and two leaps back when an explosion sounded off. At least Zakiya and Mohammad were easy to get along with, cheerful and quick to disappear at the first sign of a stormy temper. He had caught her at an opportune moment the last time; her defences had been down and she had been too worried for her brother to tell him to get lost. But that book was most definitely closed to him now.

"I have work to do."

Looking around the office, Ahmed saw no one else but himself and Ishizu in the room and figured she was mumbling to him. He was half-afraid to deign an answer for fear of a tongue-lashing, but he didn't want to go back to his empty apartment yet either. So instead he pretended not to hear her and read through a scribbled note about Maximillion Pegasus' intrepid excavations in Egypt, his brain not really taking in the information as the news beamed something else about Duel Monsters. The only thing he found interesting about the game was its Egyptian roots, but the whole of the world seemed to be enraptured with the damned game recently. That Kaiba guy was on-track for the final against Muto again … didn't this happen every time they held one of these competitions? Lots and lots of tension and then the same guy wins yet _again_. Though not a fan of the game, Ahmed hoped someone else would win for a change, just to see the trouble it would cause. Another forced sigh echoed around the office as Ishizu typed away at her laptop, flicking over a few pages of a book way too quickly to be reading them. He smiled and looked away when she glared at him; she was amusing when she was angry, but his own patience was wearing thin.

He had scrabbled from the streets into university somehow and years of hard work had secured him a scholarship to study in the renowned Domino Museum. He'd been excited at first; the chance to work with an actual Ishtar. The Ishtars were known as one of the oldest families in Egypt, able to trace their family-tree back to the time of the pharaohs, and had monopolised the archaeological and academic fields of Egyptology.

So he had let his excitement taint his first impressions of the woman, making excuses that she had a lot of work to do and a lot of personal crap to deal with. One of the pros of being an orphan meant no ties to drag you back down or distract you … but distracted Ahmed had become anyway. He had seen her for a little bit, the woman within the Secretary General of Antiquities, but then Ishizu had raised back up those walls she kept everything behind and he was more than a little bored of being barked at.

Flicking a paper clip across his cluttered desk, Ahmed sighed and looked around the office for some form of entertainment. A bored yawn barged out as he quickly looked to the television before Ishizu could catch him looking at her. That Kaiba guy was back on the screen along with the trophy-fiancée he was apparently going to marry at some stage.

"Do you think they're actually in love?"

"What?"

He chuckled as she looked at him with an equal mix of anger and confusion on her face; she was trying to fill in some paperwork and he was distracting her with idiotic questions. Pointing at the television on the wall, Ahmed indicated the couple and Ishizu rolled her eyes and moved her attention to the news. The image was an old one she had seen floating around various magazines, the two leaving a restaurant weeks ago.

"Kaiba and that Ashwood woman, I mean they can't actually be serious, can they?"

"Ashbrook. Her name is Kisara Ashbrook and why can't they be in love?"

Ahmed fidgeted at that and shrugged his shoulders with a smile, flicking a paperclip from his desk and watching it land on hers. When she forced an annoyed sigh and looked back to the laptop, he fired off another and another and another until that little semblance of patience melted away.

"Are you trying to annoy me? Why are you still here anyway?"

"The friendly company?"

The smile only served to annoy her more. The rugby player had interested her at first; he had seemed quiet and reserved and the ideal undergrad - studious and serious. She had judged him wrong. Mohammad was the diligent and quiet one, Zakiya cheerful and studious and then every class needed a clown. No, he wasn't a clown; Ahmed was intelligent and she had spied him tutoring Zakiya on certain hieroglyphic translations last week … but he did know how to push her buttons.

Another paperclip fell short and struck the edge of her desk, ricocheted and hit her in the cheek, snapping her last nerve along with it.

"You were so nice! What happened?"

Ahmed folded his arms across his chest as she stood from her desk and walked towards him; he hadn't meant to hit her with the clip, but surely she was being a hypocrite with that accusation; the crow calling the raven black.

"Right back at you."

"I am your boss, I am-"

"No you're not. You're the boss of those old dusty relics and the Antiquities board. It takes more than a family connection to be someone's academic superior. You just happen to be here at the same time Cairo sent us over, so don't let it go to your head Ms. Ishtar."

He heard his words too late and mentally tried to pull them back before they reached her ears; that filter between his brain and mouth wasn't working. The news flickered up another image of the dueling tournament, Yugi Muto's Dark Magician staring out of the screen and she was staring right back at it, her blue eyes fixed on the hologram.

"Ishizu, I didn't mean tha-"

"You should go now."

She didn't even look away from the Dark Magician, only said the words in an even tone. He waited a few seconds before grabbing his jacket and acknowledging his stupid big mouth.

"As you wish."

* * *

Tomorrow would be the big duel so it probably made perfect sense to get the basics out of the way; the crowd in KaibaLand tomorrow afternoon would be huge. It was dark outside and the mansion was quiet for the evening with only this little extra-curricular lesson taking place in one of the traditional tatami rooms on the third floor.

Kisara had been surprised when Isamu had told her of the rooms and their soft tatami mat flooring; apparently some of the older generations of businessmen still liked to do business in a traditional sense so three of the upstairs bedrooms had been left unaltered over the years. And the soft floor made them perfect for self-defence training.

It had been Roland to broach the subject with her after the stranger's unscheduled visit to the mansion two days ago, explaining that he should have tackled the problem earlier and that Isamu would teach her; the electronic gates had also been fixed very quickly following the fat little man's appearance. She hadn't seen Seto in days either; she was asleep before he came home from the office and he was already up and gone to KaibaCorp by the time she rose, the only sign of his presence being the tossed duvet and missing black jeep.

Mokuba smiled and cracked his knuckles as he kicked off his shoes in the hallway and padded onto the soft pale matting; Isamu had recruited the younger Kaiba to use as an example along with a girl she had never seen before. She knew Mokuba had returned to Domino's boxing club, but it was so unusual to see him in a loose sweat-bottoms and tee; she usually glimpsed him in his school uniform or some class of jeans and shirt. Had Isamu not visited her at the hospital, Kisara might have passed him by as a complete stranger in his tracksuit and no shades guarding his giveaway eyes. Kicking off her own trainers, she could hear Vivian's voice in her head, berating the light grey sweat-bottoms and green t-shirt as an atrocious ensemble.

"Ms. Ashbrook-"

"This isn't work Isamu, it's Kisara."

Mokuba smirked to himself as he heard the correction; that was becoming one of her sticking points lately. He'd done the exact same thing ages ago, telling the maids and security-members that _Mr. Kaiba _was his big brother … now they only ever called him that when he was filling-in for Seto. But Isamu was nearly as bad as Roland when it came to politeness and he blushed slightly before nodding his head and smiling.

"Kisara, this is my little cousin Ami."

"I'm not _little_ …"

The new girl blushed a deep red and elbowed Isamu, earning a hoot from the doorway as four faces peered in on the training session and Isamu's amused smile died on his lips.

"Aren't you finished your shifts now?"

Akari offered a greeting smile along with Kaede and Kimiko, but it was Aki to nod her head and fired a sneer of her own back at Isamu and all Kisara could think about was Seto and Vivian.

"Yes, but we want to see what all the fuss is about … what if someone tries to kidnap me as I'm walking home, huh?"

"They'd bring _you_ back just as quick."

The youngster, Ami, laughed at that and Kisara smiled as Akari waved at her boyfriend's cousin, deciding to play the mediator between him and her friends as Aki stuck her tongue out.

"We were just going, have fun and kick butt girls!"

The pintsize was gone in the next instant, dragging the other three girls with her and Kisara was slightly relieved; if she was going to make an idiot of herself and end up on the floor, then she didn't want the whole mansion seeing her do it.

"Anyway, I asked Ami to help because there are different principles in self-defence for males and females, and because it'll be easier if you see another girl doing it instead of me just throwing words at you."

"Pleased to meet you."

The girl offered a polite bow and Kisara returned the greeting in kind, judging her age at somewhere around Rebecca's age and noticing that she had the same expressive eyes as her cousin.

The first thing to be done was a warm-up, wherein Mokuba and Isamu traded light blows for a few minutes, neither landing a touch on the other; the goal seemed to be to deflect the blows or dodge them and turn the other's strength against them. Watching the match quicken in pace, Kisara doubted she would ever be as fast as the two males and hoped she'd never have to use these skills. She would definitely escape the attacker; he or she would be too busy rolling about laughing at her sorry attempt at defence.

It all ended rather abruptly when Mokuba got too cocky and his feet were swept from beneath him and Kisara understood why they were in the tatami room as the teenager hit the floor with a thump and a groan.

"You're out of practice, Mokuba. I've never been able to beat you that easily."

Mokuba grinned and nodded his head as Isamu offered him a hand and pulled him to his feet..

"I know … you didn't have to go easy on me though!"

She blinked then; that had been Isamu's _easy_? Looking Akari's boyfriend over, Kisara noticed how even his breathing was; not even slightly taxed by the fast spar.

"Okay, Ami you're up."

"Best of luck!"

Mokuba didn't notice the red blush on the younger girl's cheeks as he gave her a thumbs-up but Kisara did and smiled as Isamu winked her way; he had seen the way his little cousin watched the younger Kaiba.

"You too Kisara."

Her stomach knotted then, but Kisara had no time to make up an excuse as Mokuba pushed her towards the centre of the room and returned to his observation spot on the floor by the door.

The first thing Ami out-classed her in was posture; the girl had the straightest back she'd ever seen and held herself so well, even just walking.

Next came stance; Ami placed her legs apart and slowly went through the move over and over again as she smiled an explanation.

"See, most self-defence classes will tell you to stomp on a toe and kick them in the nu- … nether-regions."

"Good save."

Isamu laughed at her hastily changed word and only slightly flinched when his cousin raised a knee in the direction of his groin as she acted out the moves.

"But I think this is a whole lot more effective."

Her left fist shot forward then, stopping just short of Isamu's chest and her right elbow came up to almost strike his cheek in slow motion. Isamu's hand wrapped around her wrist then and Ami reacted at the same moment and turned with him as he twisted, ending up pinning his arm against his back and forcing it upwards to get her point across.

"We'll start with stance first. If you can get that down tonight, then that's progress."

Kisara nodded, only blushing slightly as Isamu spoke and Ami stood beside her, thin arms raised and fists in place with her feet apart. She felt like a gangly oddity beside the youngster, knowing her attempt at even standing correctly was pitiful. But her cheeks only flamed all the more as a tall figure pressed against her back, kicking her legs just a little bit more apart and gentle hands raising one arm a little higher and lowering the other. A hand rested on her waist feather-light and shifted her weight more onto her right leg before disappearing.

But where she had thought it was Seto's tall frame standing behind her with his arrogant smirk, it was Isamu's voice that sounded as the person stepped away from her.

"Now you've got it, Ms. Ash- Kisara."

"Good save."

Ami smiled and fired the sarcastic words back at her cousin, earning a laugh from Mokuba. Kisara shook herself then and banished the blush away; this was serious and could save her life and all she could think about was if Isamu or Seto would win … and if Seto would be shirtless in a sparring match. Oh, she definitely had to break this celibate spell and soon.

So engrossed in trying to get the stance right, along with the two simple moves Ami had shown her, Kisara never noticed the two faces watching from the doorway. Ami and Isamu remained oblivious too as they corrected her stance here, made a suggestion there and kept her on her toes.

"See what I mean? She's much more comfortable with Isamu than even with me and he's the best instructor we have, sir."

Seto nodded at Roland's words and watched as Kisara got frustrated and tried to correct her stance for the umpteenth time; if she'd just move her right leg a mere inch or two backwards she'd find keeping her balance a whole lot easier. But her elbow was well-aimed, he'd give her that much.

Mokuba sat on the floor by their feet and looked up with a serious look on his face, voice barely above a whisper as Isamu looked over both girls' stances and corrected his cousin's much to her annoyance.

"You were told then, bro?"

Seto nodded without even taking his eyes off of the mock-attack. He'd broken yet another mobile phone when Roland had told him of the visit two days ago; he seriously had to make a stronger phone. The gates had been fixed that very evening and he had sent the security-team sweeping the grounds and the city for the horrid little butler all to no avail; the fat little bastard had disappeared yet again.

Mokuba sensed the atmosphere and left it lie; he knew his brother better than anyone and knew not to poke at Seto's temper when it was like this. Rin had done so and it would have cost her job had he not intervened and Hobson was a much more volatile topic to touch on; he'd been the one to make sure Seto studied night and day in the mansion's library by force if need be. To this day, his big brother still hated going into the library if he didn't have to. Mokuba just hoped Seto calmed down in time for his duel tomorrow; he had no chance of winning if his head was elsewhere.

When he looked back up at his big brother, the teenager pushed the worry away; Kisara had finally gotten the stance right and had spotted them watching her, a blushing smile on her face as Seto smirked and Roland excused himself to go home.

* * *

It looked like the celibacy record was holding for another night at least. The promised _quick_ call into the city a few nights ago had stretched into the early hours and she had been asleep by the time Seto appeared back in the mansion, having hammered out the issue of the zoos with Toshi and she had only seen her fiancé in fleeting moments since then, his attention stolen by the dueling tournament as it entered its final thrilling throes. And maybe it was the pressure of the final duel in the morning, but Kisara could sense the atmosphere turning rotten as she sat on the bed, still in her sweats and tee. She had been on cloud nine after Isamu called an end to the training session and commended the progress she'd made, Ami promising to return in another couple of days once her muscles recovered. Rolling her shoulders, Kisara understood the girl's words now; her shoulders, arms and even her butt hurt.

But cloud nine had turned out to be little more than a stupid rain cloud brewing a storm. Any questions about the zoo had been answered in short, Seto none too inclined to go into detail about his newest venture. She tried asking about the construction in eastern Domino, only to be met with a distracted glance; he hadn't heard a word she had said.

Glancing at the clock, Kisara seriously considered just wandering down to the living room and watching a movie; it wasn't that late and the tension in the room was souring her own humour. But Mokuba and Suzu had taken over the television for the night. Then again, maybe she was just being selfish; the most she had to worry about was what dress to wear tomorrow and Rika had already planned out her whole outfit. She didn't have a tournament title to fight for or a winding-down party to organise for afterwards.

But one thing kept knocking around in her head again and again. Roland, Seto and Mokuba had looked like a conspiring trio when she spotted them by the door of the tatami room. Her brain said not to go there, but the thing that siphoned through her thoughts and what she said seemed to disappear all of a sudden.

"Seto?"

"What?"

_Say nothing! Say nothing! Say nothing! _But she had seen what happened when nothing was said in a marriage, had been a witness to it and she didn't want that for herself - she had lived through it once and once was more than enough. So Kisara sat cross-legged on his bed and straightened her back, trying to keep the unsure quaver from her voice.

"Who's Hudson?"

"You've got me … Isn't it a river in America?"

No, that wasn't the name. Seto reappeared from the en-suite shirtless and fixed her with a strange look. Picking at a chipped nail, Kisara tried to recall the name Mokuba had said when he cut across Roland. Hodson? Hubson?

"H-Hobson? Who's Ho-"

"Leave it alone."

She'd heard that tone the morning Koji had died and part of her was trying to scrabble under the duvet and pretend she hadn't asked anything. But that would only put her back to square one with the same feeling that things were being kept well out of her reach.

"Roland really lost it, I've never seen him so angry."

"Drop it, Kisara, you wouldn't understand."

He was gone from her view then, back into the bathroom and she huffed out an annoyed sigh; how was she supposed to understand anything if people wouldn't explain things to her? Kisara had been so proud of herself when Isamu only barely corrected her stance the last time; it had meant she'd learned something new and wouldn't be completely useless. She definitely felt more a part of the household than when she had first arrived in Japan, but there was still an invisible wall she hit every so often; a transparent marker that that kept her away from a certain section of the boys' lives. She didn't even mind it so much, but Kisara was starting to feel a little alienated; she hadn't seen Téa in almost two weeks now and just when she thought she was really getting somewhere with Seto, that wall reappeared to hit her in the face.

"How am I supposed to understand if you won't tell me?"

When he looked back out at her, Kisara saw some shadow of surprise cross his face before Seto caught his slipping armour and those eyes of his darkened; this was one chink he wasn't going to expose easily and his low tone only emphasized his immutable opinion of the conversation.

"It's none of your business."

Saying nothing seemed an awfully attractive option right now, to accept an end to the discussion as her cheeks flamed a deep red. One part of her wanted to nod and mumble an apology and that was the side Kisara would have usually adhered to, but this wasn't France and she wasn't some child to be shushed into silence. She was supposed to be getting married to him and yet he didn't even want to tell her who the fat little visitor had been.

_What if I want it to be your business?_

He had asked her that when she refused to take sides on whether he should duel or not and she had come to an epiphany then, that their lives weren't as separate as they'd once been. She had answered his questions about Nat and had explained about her cousin's tragic death; the least he could do was return the favour.

"The ring on my finger makes it my business."

Just like the morning when Rin had tried to push past her into the study, Kisara felt anger growing in her stomach and nodded her head as she spoke quietly and stood from the bed; she was most definitely sleeping in her own room tonight. She hadn't wanted to start a fight, but she had one now and the only way she knew how deal with confrontation was to leave before stupid things were said.

"That's a bit rich, isn't it?"

The sarcasm in his voice made her stop in her tracks and turn around; she wasn't the one in the wrong here and by no means deserved that tone of voice. Her hand was on her hip before she even realised it and Kisara tilted her head to one side as she shrugged; she had told him about Natalie and her childhood friendship with Zigfried had made its own way into the limelight so she was blame-proof.

"Three cracked ribs, a broken arm, concussions, a broken nose, black eyes … I can keep going if you want?"

Blame-proof except for that. Letting her arm fall down by her side, Kisara felt her heart racing all of a sudden; she had left that past behind her in France where it couldn't bother her anymore.

"How di-"

"Medical files can cross continents but you already knew that, or at least Vivian did. I'm not the only one keeping secrets, Kisara."

Indignation flared into life as blood thumped in her ears; she hadn't told him for the simple reason she didn't want to go back to that part of her life and because it was her business. _Her business_. And the same ring that made his life a part of hers worked vice versa too …

Her eyes locked with his for a second as they reached an impasse in the argument. They weren't Seto's eyes though, they were Kaiba's - the cold and guarded eyes that most of the world saw on a daily basis. But it was the first time she had seen them and it sent a chill through her.

"Who is Hobson, Seto? Why won't you tell me?"

"He hit you, _beat_ you and you didn't tell me? What if you had gone back to France after the subpoena?"

His armour slipped then and the chink showed, a hole in his defences that showed in his eyes for a split-second as Seto scratched the scar on his collarbone. Things hadn't been the same since he'd seen those files in the hospital, where once he'd fallen asleep with only the fear of an ancient memory replaying itself, now all he saw was her uncle laughing at him and Kisara nowhere to be seen. He could have easily sent her back to that man without even knowing the danger had it not been for Vivian Wong finding the loophole in the summons … and that fired up his temper to no end. The millennia-old golden rod only served in reminding him of how he had failed to protect her in the past, and it made him angry to think that it could happen all over again; why bring her back just to take her away again?

She squirmed under his stare and groped for some kind of excuse; a rebuttal or denial of what she'd lived through for years, an explanation for why she still jumped if a door was slammed but all she could come up with was a sorry counter-argument; she had only wanted to know who the short bespectacled man had been.

"That's different-"

"For fuck sake, Kisara! I read the files, he knocked you unconscious once!"

"He didn't mean to- Seto don't!"

Fear breeds reflexes and reflexes spring back into life when they're needed … or at least when the body thinks it needs them. Kisara was halfway down the hall before she realised it, feet pounding on the carpet as the stairs came into view and countless memories flitted back across her mind.

_Run to the stables and hide there. Lock yourself in your room. Don't say a word, just nod and do as your told. Don't come out until I come to get you. Go with Marie, quickly Sara!_

She had hidden under the kitchen table once for four hours until she was sure she could make it to her chambre without getting caught. But that hadn't stopped him finding her the next day and knocking one of her molars out. And it had all come rushing back to her, five years of suppressed hell coming down like a guillotine as Seto lost his temper and his phone smashed against the wall on the opposite of the room to her.

Too blind in her panicked memories, Kisara ran headfirst into Kosuke as she opened the front door and almost barrelled the driver down the stone steps. Those kindly eyes had been the first she'd seen those months ago and relief flooded the young woman as they stared down at her now.

* * *

She had been just sitting down to a nice glass of wine, the biggest bar of chocolate she could find in Domino and the retail-projections for her parents' newest jewellery store. Well, she had no false hopes though; the marketing figures would only get a quick glance before she switched her attention to the fashion channels. That was the upside of being knocked out of Kaiba-poo's tournament; way more free time and if there was one thing the Chinese girl adored, it was treating herself.

Vivian Wong had had such a night planned out for her and her best friends, alcohol and fluffy-slippers, that she had ignored the knock on her apartment's door at first. Only when another knock came did she mute the television and grumble a complaint to the red wine; privacy was just so hard to find these days. But the ruffled wreck of a dress that appeared on-screen made the ex-model run for the door.

Maybe Mai had finished work early and was calling over for a chat, or that cute tournament commissioner she had given her number to had tracked her down - she wouldn't put that past Kaiba's goons. But of all the people she had expected to be standing in the doorway, the bedraggled girl in her sweats and trainers was the last one on her mind; surely she should be wrapped up all nice and warm in the mansion.

"Kisara, what's wrong?"

Snow was falling once again outside and had melted on her green t-shirt, staining the material a darker shade and making her hair cling to her flushed cheeks. But the blue eyes seemed all the more piercing as Kisara scuffed her toe on the floor and locked eyes with her old room-mate; she hadn't known where else to go to after storming out of the mansion.

"Can I sleep here tonight?"

* * *

**A/n - I promise an update won't be too long waiting after such a mean cliff-hanger; I wouldn't do that to you guys! Thanks for taking the time to read and I hope you liked it!**

**Note 1:** _Tatami_ is the soft reed flooring found in traditional Japanese rooms.

**Note 2:** Thanks to the readers of this story, I've recently rediscovered _The Princess Bride_ and there's a completely-not-subtle-allusion in this chapter! :)


	44. Respite

**Author's Note:** Hi everyone! Sorry for the wait, but this chapter was a real challenge to write for some reason. It's still a bit disjointed and there are probably typos here and there but I'll catch them in a re-read. I know I've been splitting focus lately, but this is a nice Seto and Kisara chapter after I gave you guys a nasty cliffhanger last time. Thanks again for all the lovely PMs here and the messages on Tumblr, oh and thanks as always to **Renolvr**!

* * *

_What would it take to forget who's blamed? I'm tired of crying out at the sound of your name_.

* * *

Shit.

Sitting on the old table, Seto held his head in his hands and cursed himself again. He was an idiot through and through. He had realized his mistake just after he'd thrown his phone at the wall, but she had panicked by then and he had been left alone in his bedroom. The shattered phone had only pointed out his thoughtless actions, so Seto had somehow ended up in the library. Of all the rooms in the mansion, he had to appreciate the irony in his choice.

Hobson had loved those canes and switches. He had religiously lined them up on the table every day and would choose a different one for each strike. His favourite had been the thin hazel one that would always be on the end of the line; the notches in it had been sure to smart when brought down across his knuckles. He'd even ended up with a slap across the back of his head for talking back or a shove to push his head closer to the books.

Scratching at the scar on his collarbone, Seto felt like a hypocrite. Bruises on his hands and arms had been the worst physical aspects of Hobson's study regime, but it was the horrid little man's words that always stuck in the back of his mind; if he didn't learn this tonight then Mokuba would be the next in line and he wondered just how much punishment the younger one could take before he cried out. So the twelve-year-old had bitten his tongue and learned how to read and write in different languages. He had forgotten how many he could actually understand a long time ago; there was English, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Korean to an extent and there had been a touch of Arabic in there once. Every now and again he would hear business associates speaking in different tongues and some fragments would filter through to him and that was down to Hobson.

But so was the way he had grown up, the dangers he had put Mokuba through after taking over KaibaCorp. Death-T had been the butler's brainchild, the short monster whispering in his ear the whole time, telling him to get Muto and his friends out of the way. He had wanted to put Roland in the games and Seto had almost conceded that … but then he had woken up in Domino's hospital with a card-shaped pendant around his neck and his little brother asleep in the corner of the room. A certain shade-toting security boss had stood guard outside the hospital room day and night until his employer had woken up, informing him that Hobson had been on the losing end of one of the games and had disappeared. Death-T had been demolished and KaibaLand had sprung up from its ashes, Roland had been appointed his right-hand man and the dweebs had never mentioned the happenings again; he supposed that was one thing he could thank the losers for.

_Gebelk_.

It made a bit more sense now; the short little dungeon-keeper and the torturous butler had been the same person, just in two different lives. But he had more than enough of his own memories haunting him lately without another life replaying in the back of his head.

"She ran into Kosuke at the door. I'm guessing Vivian or Téa's."

Mokuba pulled out one of the high-backed chairs and sat down, letting the pieces of the broken phone spill onto the table in silence. Watching as his brother set to work prying apart the plastic framework of the ruined gadget, Seto heaved a sigh; at least neither Hobson nor Gozaburo had gotten to the kid - they had threatened to, but his little brother had remained safe.

She'd go to Vivian's, that much he knew. Gardner had been busy with ballet rehearsals lately, or so Kisara had told him a few days ago … And he was the villain in this scenario so she'd definitely go to Vivian's.

"Where's Suzu?"

"Gone home."

A couple of buttons fell from the table as he finally managed to separate the front and back of the smashed phone. Ignoring the escaped elements, Mokuba discarded the plastic shell and turned the inner workings of the mobile around; the memory chip would be sheltered in the thickest part of the circuits. Tossing the battery to one side, he made a mental note to keep it; those cells always came in handy.

"What happened, Seto?"

"Argument."

_No shit, bro_. Prying the inner casing apart, the teenager bit his tongue and accepted his brother's answer in silence. When Seto and Rie had had their fights, Mokuba could well remember not seeing Ayane's sister in the mansion for a few days as things cooled off but that was the completely wrong thing to do; Kisara wasn't Rie. A few more loose bits and pieces fell to the carpeted floor of library as he struggled to split the circuits apart; a few pointed knocks of the phone against the table finally broke the gadget apart. Managing to rescue the memory chip, Mokuba blinked as Seto stood from the table and walked towards the door of the library.

"Bro?"

"I have a duel in the morning."

"You have bigger fish to fry right now."

"I can't lose to Yugi again."

Silence crept into the library as Seto carried on walking and Mokuba stood from his seat. A few sheets of paper caught his attention and the teen gave a long couple of seconds looking over the scribbled writing on the plans before a small smile broke through. Gathering up the improved plans and the memory chip, the youngster caught up to his brother in the hallway and stood in front of him.

"Seto, I don't call you out often but you need to realise something. Our fridge is almost empty and we need more dog-food, do you know who's been doing all the grocery shopping for weeks? The same person who just had her appendix out and couldn't get to the shops. You need to realise how much you need her! You can't lose to Yugi again and I _get_ that bro, really I do … but you can't lose Kisara either."

Mokuba handed over the sheets of paper and the memory chip before leaving his big brother in the hallway without another word; he was no one to preach about relationships but sometimes things just needed to be said.

Pocketing the small electronic chip as he made for his room, Seto kicked the door closed behind him and shrugged off Mokuba's words; he didn't need this now, not with the final duel in the morning. Stepping on something sharp, the CEO cursed his bare feet and found the culprit to be shattered plastic from his phone. Throwing it had definitely been a bad idea … screw the phone, but he should have had more sense. Of course she was going to react that way, why wouldn't she?

And Mokuba was right. Kisara had been the one to re-organise the tournament's opening day those weeks ago and convince him to participate in the competition; if not for her there mightn't even have been a final tomorrow. And she'd been doing the shopping trip each week? He felt like an utter waste of space for not noticing that. Over the years he had charged Kaoru with doing the weekly shop, but their housekeeper had retired a couple of months ago and it had never dawned on him that food still needed to be purchased for the household.

The papers felt a lot heavier in his hand all of a sudden and Seto abandoned them on his bed with a sigh of annoyance as he recognised the diagrams and text. He'd meant to lock away the Duel Academy's plans earlier in the day after a conversation with Roland about the stalemate he had with the heating problem on the island.

A scribbled note on one image caught his attention though, and Seto Kaiba recognised the rushed cursive across the report on the small volcano. _Geothermal subterranean rods_. Maybe he did need her after all.

* * *

"So you're not going, huh?"

Vivian yawned as she asked the question and switched on her television; the morning's schedule was already chock-full of excited forecasts on the day's big duel. Kisara didn't even bother to answer as the mug was placed in front of her. She hadn't said a word last night either, just accepted a shower and pyjamas and curled up in the spare room.

Taking up the spot on the opposite side of the couch, Vivian eyed her friend before forcing her back into the world of the living with a kick to the foot.

"Talk to me, chick!"

When her friend made no move to answer, she tutted and shook her head. As far as she could see, Kisara was being stubborn and short-sighted and would end up regretting it.

"So you two had a fight, boohoo. That's a stupid reason to skip out on the duel."

"I don't have my ID card."

It wasn't the reply she had been looking for, but Vivian seized the opportunity and ran with it; at least it was an answer of some class.

"Bullshit and you know it; Kaiba's goons will let you in without it and surely whatever you two were fighting about can be put aside for today. Just go to the duel, Kisara."

Staring at the television screen without really seeing it, Kisara shook her head slowly; she wanted to sweep the stupid fight under the carpet already, but she didn't want to be left in the dark about things either.

"Come on now, anything can be fixed. What was the tiff about? Did Kaiba-poo leave the toilet seat up again?"

Standing from the couch, Vivian disappeared into her bedroom to fish out an ensemble - she still had to get ready for the final duel regardless of her pal's intentions. Sifting through her extensive wardrobe, she continued to list off possible flaws of Kaiba's in a joking tone.

"Is the dreamboat spending too much time in KaibaCorp and not enough time at home? Oh, I know! I bet you guys haven't had-"

"He knew about my uncle, about before."

Those words brought Vivian back out into the living room, garbed in a pretty golden dress and high-heels in her hand. One meek look at the older girl's face told Kisara volumes and she sat up straighter on the sofa all of a sudden.

"You _knew_ that he knew?"

"Well … that doctor shouldn't have left your file where people could read it! And what's so bad about Seto knowing? You would have told him anyway, right?"

The heiress shifted uncomfortably and hugged a cushion in her lap, half-hiding her face behind it; she wasn't too sure she would have ever spoken of the abuse. She had run from it for years and wasn't too inclined to bring the sordid topic back into the limelight. Another cushion hit her in the head and she looked up to see Vivian standing with her hands on her hips.

"Kisara Ashbrook! You would have had to tell him!"

"Why, why should I? It was _my_ business and I lived through it once and once is enough! And he shouldn't have brought it up like that; I only wanted to know who Hobson was and he shouldn't have thrown the phone! And he shouldn't have told me he loved me … not if …"

"Oh, Kisara …"

Her eyes had filled with tears before she even knew why and Kisara found herself in a tight hug as Vivian abandoned her shoes on the floor and plonked back down on the couch beside her. It was a few long seconds before the older girl pulled back and swiped her black bangs out of her eyes.

"I'm going to say something and you're probably not gonna like it, but you know I don't sugar-coat things."

Kisara nodded as she sniffed and looked fleetingly to the television; people were already packed tight into KaibaLand with the final set to begin in just a short while. Stopping herself from wringing her hands together, Vivian eyed the girl she considered a little sister and smiled sadly as she scratched her collarbone beneath the high neckline of her dress.

"Gozaburo didn't _choose_ to adopt Seto and Mokuba. When it comes down to it, you and Kaiba aren't that different at all, but it's not my place to say so. But if Seto Kaiba told you he loves you then don't throw it back in his face. He needs you at that duel as much as you need him, full-stop. Both of you need to quit pussy-footing around and talk to each other. Now I have a duel to get to - there's a spare key on the kitchen table if you change your mind."

A quick peck on the cheek and Vivian had reclaimed her high-heels and was gone out the door, leaving Kisara to feel like an utter child as she stayed put on the couch, having been reprimanded so bluntly. Maybe she would have told Seto about her uncle eventually, but she would have appreciated to do it in her own time … probably like he would have done regarding Hobson.

_Great_. Now she was guilty as well as naïve. Standing from the couch, the young woman stomped to the kitchen and switched on the kettle, ignoring the cheers from the crowd in KaibaLand as Yugi and Seto took their places on opposite sides of the dueling platform.

How come life seemed so much easier in movies? Girl and boy fall in love and live happily ever after; what an absurd joke. Life was more like a labyrinth to her these days, with more twists and dead-ends than she could count … and maybe she just needed to re-trace a few erred steps and go down another road.

She turned away from the kettle and blinked dumbly at the empty table; Vivian had said there was a spare key but there was nothing on the table now aside from half a dozen coasters. Another cheer went up from the televised duel and Kisara made it to the living room just as X-Head Cannon dissipated into holographic fragments and Summoned Skull returned to its own side of the field. Seto's life points dropped a few hundred and Kisara felt her heart skip a beat. He was leaving himself wide open with no magic or trap cards in play and Lustre Dragon could only hold up for so long. It was just utterly unlike Seto to play so carelessly.

"_See. He _does_ need you_."

Whether the voice echoed in her head or not, Kisara couldn't have said. Neither could she have offered an explanation of how the spare key got onto the couch beside her ID card; the very same card she was sure she had abandoned in the mansion. Grabbing her phone, the key and ID card, Kisara switched off the television and dialled one of the first numbers she had acquired after arriving in Japan.

"Ms. Ashbrook?"

"Sorry to bother you, Kosuke, but I need a lift."

* * *

Things weren't looking very promising when she finally did push through some of the people to look down on the dueling field. Yugi had just summoned the Dark Magician and all Seto had was a face-down and Lord of Dragons on his side of the field - if that face-down wasn't Flute of Dragons, then Yugi was going to win in his next couple of turns.

Eying the distance from the balcony down to the field, Kisara looked around her; there had to be a way down, how else did Téa and the others get down to the sidelines? Walking hurriedly along the railing, she pushed past people and tried to keep a tab on the duel too; Yugi had just placed a card face-down and ended his turn. The wind blew her hair into her eyes for a few seconds before she wrangled the locks away from her face, but she had lost her bearings in those couple of seconds; there should have been a stairs close-by or had she run past it? Glancing around for any sign of a stairwell, Kisara could hear Vivian's words ringing in her ears; she _would_ regret missing the duel, and all out of utter stubbornness.

It had taken an age for Kosuke to manoeuvre through the clogged-up city, somehow avoiding hitting into any distracted drivers and pedestrians alike as the whole of Domino's population eyed the duel on the large screens around the city. It had taken twice as long to push through the throngs of people packed into KaibaLand and finally get to the dueling arena.

Some careless woman in high-heels stood on her toe and Kisara cringed as she elbowed the offender in the back; everyone on this tier of the audience was impeccably dressed and, glancing down at Téa and the gang, they were all dressed-up too… and she looked a casual catastrophe in a sweat-bottoms and hoody.

Seto had summoned Kaiser Sea Horse, a move that threw her; that screwed up the Lord of Dragons strategy he favoured. Tearing her attention away from the duel, she tried to figure out a way down to the next level of the audience and to the sideline of the duel itself. Feeling eyes on her, she turned to see a familiar figure beckoning her towards him. She didn't even pause to question the man's presence in the crowd and instead pushed her way through the throng of people and over to where he had been standing. The blue-eyed stranger was nowhere to be seen now, with only a small electronic gate and stairwell staring at her with apathy. Running her ID card through the slot, the light turned green and the gate slid open to let her use the stairs.

He had helped her again. He had freed her from the upturned limo and then disappeared. She had seen him in the garden, watching her as she walked with Kai, but she had been frightened and he had vanished again. The voice that had warned her of falling off her chair those weeks ago was the same one that had echoed around Vivian's apartment. And now he had helped her find the stairwell only to dissipate once more. Pausing halfway down the dark stairs, Kisara felt doubt closing in on her; Mokuba had told her there had been no one other than herself and Hiroki in the limo and no one else in the mansion ever saw the forlorn figure beneath the sakura tree … maybe there was no stranger. Maybe she had unlatched the jammed seatbelt herself. And she had known there was a stairwell somewhere; she would have found it eventually anyway. Vivian could have slyly placed the spare key on the couch … but that still didn't explain how her ID card had made it all the way from the mansion to her friend's apartment.

A roar of excitement from the crowd outside snapped her out of her panicked wondering and Kisara descended the second half of the stairs in rushed leaps and almost lost her footing once or twice. Lord of Dragons was missing in action and Kaiser Sea Horse was shattering into tiny shards as she emerged onto the sideline; Dark Magician looked nothing short of smug as he returned to his side of the field where that annoying little Kuriboh thing twittered about. Before she even had time to look around, Yugi had activated De-Spell and targeted Seto's one face-down card. White Dragon Ritual was the next card out of play. That was three different strategies in one duel; Lord of Dragons, Paladin of White Dragon and Kaiser Sea Horse. Three roads that led to the same destination, to a certain dragon her fiancé favoured. Yugi ended his turn and Joey Wheeler grinned from ear to ear. Normally she liked the blond boy, but his remarks were starting to get a little old … or maybe she was just mad that the duel seemed to be taking a bad turn.

Looking to Seto, she was relieved he was engrossed in the duel and hadn't seen her yet; neither of them had exactly left things on good terms yesterday.

She should have been here from the get-go, not wasting time being stubborn. Vivian was right; surely the fight could be put to one side for a little while until they had time to discuss it. There were more important things going on right now, and she couldn't help but feel responsible for the way the duel was turning.

"Oh dear _Herr_ Kaiba, such a pity you're always second-best, no?"

It wasn't his arrogance that set her teeth on edge, nor her own short temper; it was Zigfried's choice of words. Second-best was something her Seto could never be, whether he knew it or not. The ice-blue eyes looked around with amusement and settled on her as Seto summoned his Vorse Raider onto the field. He still hadn't noticed her watching but Zigfried was quite happy to raise his voice just a bit louder.

"I dare say you'll be on the arm of a loser, Sara."

The nickname only kicked her temper up another notch and Kisara had spun on her heel before she knew it, glaring up at Zigfried with an outstretched finger and anger in her eyes. The fact that countless people could hear her never even crossed her mind as the words tumbled out in an irritated rush.

"Funny that, because the only loser I see here is standing in front of me and I certainly won't be on your arm Zigfried. Second-best never was my style, now come on Seto!"

"You heard her, c'mon bro!"

Mokuba's encouragement was halfway between a shout and a laugh as he stood a few feet away, apparently having overheard her outburst. Even Roland looked amused as he refereed the duel with a small smile and Joey Wheeler laughed out loud. But the duel was still on and Yugi wasted no time in sending his Dark Magician for Vorse Raider and in that instant Kisara felt her heart jump into her mouth. The monster was strong, but it didn't have a hope of seeing off the Dark Magician's attack.

"Not so outspoken now, Sara …"

"It's Kisara, or better yet _Ms. Ashbrook _if you're so bothered, Zigfried."

She took a few steps away from the man that had once been her friend before she said something she would regret; if Dark Magician took Vorse Raider out of the duel, then that left Seto's line of defence in tatters. Maybe she should have come sooner and not fought over something so stupid; if she didn't want her past thrown in her face, maybe Seto didn't want that fat little man brought up so abruptly either. Willing Dark Magician to somehow trip and not make it to the other side of the field, Kisara looked up to Seto only to see him looking back at her. A small smile lifted the corners of his mouth and the quickest of winks was sent her way, but she knew what it meant. He had a plan.

"Reveal face-down card, Attack-Guidance Armour!"

The metal armour materialised around the small brown Kuriboh, the fluff-ball squirming and crying out so much she almost felt sorry for it. _Almost_. But then Dark Magician turned around and headed for his comrade and she smiled as Joey Wheeler and Tristan called out in dismay. 2200 was the difference and Yugi's life-points rolled down to under 400. But Seto wasn't finished yet and Kisara could feel her heart hammering in her chest as she stood closer to Mokuba, the teenager having fallen unusually quiet - his brother had been this close to winning before, only to have that hope whisked away just as quickly. The crowd seemed to carry the duel, swelling as the next few minutes passed in a blur of rushed tactics and an almighty roar of appreciation from the packed stadium.

Vorse Raider was eventually taken out by Dark Magician, though not before another fifty of Yugi's life points disappeared from the counter. Seto's own points were bordering on 200 after Vorse Raider shattered into the air and the duel took another serious turn. Mokuba shifted his weight from one foot to the other as he stood beside her and Kisara could feel the heavy tension in the air; this was turning out to be the closest duel in the tournament.

Yugi's turn ended with Dark Magician stalking the attack line and even she knew those 200 life points wouldn't stand up to much of an effect if Seto didn't pull one hell of a move in the next couple of seconds. One monster placed face-down in defence mode and that was it. It made for a hollow turn and Kisara was utterly confused at the lack-lustre saving move and gripped her ID card in her hands all the tighter.

"Please have a plan, bro …"

Even Mokuba looked unsure as his brother ended his turn. Wheeler offered a hoot of triumph as Yugi sent his Dark Magician careening forward to slice through the indifferent face-down card, but the sorceror stopped up short as Seto smirked and spoke in an even tone, the microphoned platform sending his deadly serious voice echoing around the open-roofed Kaiba Dome.

"Reveal face-down card … Blue-Eyed Maiden."

"_Unmöglich_!"

Zigfried's hissed denial of the card wasn't the only shocked reaction that rang around the crowded dome. Looking around her, Kisara could see disbelief on countless faces and what could have been a smile on Maximillion's face up in the reserved viewing box as Seto's card flipped right-side up and the mystery monster appeared on the field in a haze of white. The name of the card was a mystery to her, but Kisara found herself looking back at a very familiar figure; the white hair and blue eyes elicited a blush from the young woman. She was eerily pretty with a beautifully-adorned dress and braids blowing in the wind. The Duel Monster clasped her hands together over her breast and eyed Dark Magician before offering a small smile as she stepped into battle position and abruptly sent a blast of crackling lightning into the sky above the duel.

"When Blue-Eyed Maiden is attacked, I can negate that attack and switch her battle position."

"Yeah well, that ain't gonna save you in the next turn, Kaiba!"

Annoyed as she was at his outburst, Kisara conceded that Joey was right; the new monster may have saved his life points in the this turn, but she could hardly do that every single turn until Seto concocted another strategy.

"I wasn't finished you moron. She also lets me special summon a particular monster from my hand, deck or graveyard … now you second-rate loser, can you guess what monster that is?"

"I think I can guess …"

Mokuba's smile had reappeared all of a sudden as Seto put Joey in his place, but Kisara found herself grasping for some hold on the duel's fast pace. So the maiden-woman could stop an attack? She could understand that, but what was the monster Mokuba seemed so sure about? The answer clicked into place as the crackling lightning congealed into a shape in the air above Seto's side of the dueling field.

The spectators roared almost as loud as the dragon as Seto Kaiba's signature monster arrived on the scene a little more than fashionably late. Even Zigfried shrunk back a few feet at the sight of the beast and Kisara couldn't fight the grin that surfaced; he had been beaten by the Blue-Eyes White Dragon if she remembered correctly. Seto must have given the command somewhere amidst the shouting in the Kaiba Dome as a blast of blinding white light raced across the field and slammed into the Dark Magician, obliterating the opposing monster. And just as the hologram shattered into thousands of shards, Kisara caught Téa watching her like a hawk and offered a friendly smile as their partners stood opposite each other.

But none of that mattered. Yugi's life point counter had just registered the hit and she had to blink and re-read it; _0_. Roland paused for a second as a rapturous shout and thunderous applause ripped through the tiers of spectators, but then the man remembered his duty and raised his hand towards Seto with a barely-masked smile.

"Seto Kaiba is the victor."

Another roar went up from the crowd as the dueling station lowered the two opponents back to ground level. Mokuba was the first to shake himself as Téa hugged her boyfriend and Joey clapped his friend on the back with sorry words of consolation.

"He did it … he finally did it! That's my brother!"

She'd never seen Mokuba so excited as he half-hugged her and the next second the teenager was sprinting over to his brother to congratulate him as the shock victory rang true. She had hoped he would win, had pleaded with the luck of the draw and yet she had never quite allowed herself to imagine the scenario. As much as she hated to say it, he had _almost_ won so many times before that fate seemed certain to screw it up. But he had won. He wasn't second-best. And Kisara followed quick on Mokuba's heels, around the raised dueling field and to her fiancé before the press got there first; the many reporters and cameras had congregated at Yugi's side of the field in a ill-judged act of presumption, certain the King of Games would defend his title.

Kisara tried to organise her thoughts as she rounded the corner, to apologise for pushing Hobson on him, for keeping her own troubles secret, but to have him trust her too - she wasn't a helpless damsel that needed protecting the whole time. All of those unimportant thoughts melted away as soon as she saw him smiling like that; the same smile as when he'd fixed the limo or had worked out how to run the zoos with Toshi. And when the blue eyes looked down at her, she couldn't help but smile back and jump up and down on the spot.

"You did it! I knew you could!"

And anything else she had wanted to say was swallowed by a kiss. A kiss that made up for the night of estrangement and frayed tempers. His hand rested on her cheek and Kisara linked her arms around his neck as lights flashed everywhere; the holograms collapsing on the field behind them. But when she opened her eyes and smiled giddily she felt her cheeks redden as more lights flashed. The Blue-Eyes still stood on the field behind them, the flashing lights a product of the many cameras now in her face. There were reporters on every side and Kisara turned into Seto's chest to try and escape them, an arm wrapping around her protectively.

The flawlessly-garbed paparazzi only seemed to emphasise her pilfered sweat-bottoms and hoody from Vivian, and her lack of make-up … no doubt people had already noticed her late arrival at the sideline of the duel. But he had won and she couldn't keep the happy smile off her face, even when countless microphones and cameras were shoved in her face.

"_Mr. Kaiba, you've finally done it! How do you feel_?"

"_You denied owning the Blue-Eyed White Maiden last year_."

Though he didn't answer any of the questions fired at him, Kisara could see the smirk that kept pulling at his lips and wondered how exactly Seto was keeping his cool; he had just won the duel! The very duel that he had tried to win time and time again in the past and he wasn't even supposed to be participating in the KC Champions' Clash.

The next reporter to approach was mercifully rebuffed by a wall of suited men and women with earwigs and KC pins. The story-hungry media were pushed back just enough to allow for breathing space and the security team began to move forward as one without even a word, like some kind of uniformed swarm.

Cameras flashed with each and every step as the crowd's roaring filled the background like a thunderous white noise and faces passed in a blur. Someone swiped an ID card and a metal door slid open ahead of them, shutting out the bustling craziness of the reporters. The security team remained outside in the Kaiba Dome as the door slid shut again with only Mokuba and Roland remaining. Both led the way up a dark staircase to emerge just opposite the private viewing box they had watched Maximillion and Yugi's duel from.

"We've got this bro, well done!"

Mokuba offered his brother a heavy clap on the back before striding towards the viewing box with Roland and greeting the noisy spectators within. Standing in the hallway, Kisara let her smile drop a little. She had been too hasty running from the mansion - things were different now and she didn't need to run from every loud noise and bang.

"Seto, I-"

"Hobson was our butler years ago."

_You and Kaiba aren't that different at all_. Vivian's words came back to her as Seto scratched the scar on his collarbone before running a hand through his hair. The voices seemed to get louder inside the viewing box and Kisara reached out a hand to touch the scar, blinking as his hand caught hers.

"There's a winding-down function the night after tomorrow. We have to go to that, but come with me afterwards Kisara?"

"Of course I will, but where?"

There was only time for one of his arrogant smirks and a quick kiss before the door of the viewing box opened and countless well-dressed corporate men and women emerged from the viewing box, Toshi leading the procession as Miki held onto his hand. Each and every person clapped Seto on the back and congratulated him on his victory before turning to shake her hand too, polite eyes thankfully overlooking her casual attire.

Mokuba and Roland stood by the door and the younger Kaiba shrugged; there was only so long they could waylay the well-wishers and Seto _had_ beaten Yugi after all.

* * *

The winding-down function was everything it had promised to be and more; a night convoluted by countless strangers and repetitive congratulations. There had even been a handful of ridiculously generous offers to purchase the Blue-Eyed Maiden card, but all had been refused.

All of the tournament's participants had turned out on the red carpet at KaibaLand's refurbished hotel to herald the end of Duel Monsters' latest excursion. Attention had been rapt on Yugi Muto as he arrived and questions were thrown at the King of Games, but he took them all in stride and insisted that he had simply been beaten on the day. A lot of the fuss had gone over her head, but Kisara had found the constant barrage of questions a little overwhelming and that was when Mai and Vivian had appeared.

There had been a couple of edgy minutes when a pointedly rude young woman had fired a few insults at poor Suzu and the nervous girl had tripped over the hem of her dress. Mokuba had been at the other side of the carpet and unable to pull himself away from a journalist in time, but Rebecca had hastily arrived to catch her friend before she fell. The blonde had then linked an arm through Suzu's and led the way with a bright smile, something Kisara had been immensely happy to see; a boy shouldn't come between two friends.

A screech of delight from outside broke her train of thought and Kisara glanced out the window to watch a few children running about on the beach. The wind was blowing and she could see dark clouds rolling in from the horizon, heralding rain for the day to come. They had left Domino an hour or two after the end of the function, in the darkness of early morning and before any of the media could notice the black jeep leaving the mansion's grounds. She had slept for most of the two-hour drive, waking at one point as they were driving along the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line just as the highway dove beneath the water of Tokyo Bay and continued on through an underwater tunnel. The next time she woke, Kisara saw a sleeping town flitting past the window. Barely any lights were on in the buildings and the entire populace seemed to be sleeping as the sea slid lazily up and down the dominating beach on the right of the road. One of the older keys on Seto's bundle had opened the creaky front door of the small house and, as much as she had wanted to ask about the reasons behind the clandestine visit, Kisara had fallen asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

The little girl had stolen the football from the boys and was escaping with it down the long flat expanse of sand, giggling as she ran. Rubbing sleep from her eyes, Kisara fought a yawn and turned away from the window. Onjuku was only beginning to waken and she had a multitude of texts to answer; Vivian was un-amused at being left in the dark about the spontaneous trip. A quick search around the little house told the young woman she was alone, but she didn't have to think too hard about where he could be.

She pulled on a jacket and grabbed his keys before heading for the front door of the house, walking with a little bit of a limp; the incision above her hip was turning into a scar but it was tight and painful first thing in the morning. Turning to lock the door behind her, Kisara tried to tuck her hair beneath the green scarf around her neck as the wind tossed it about. She took a few minutes to get her bearings and figure out where exactly Seto was; it had been dark and she had been half-asleep when she had woken alone in the jeep and seen him standing by the low wall.

A couple of people walked past, none of them bothering to give her a second look as she pulled the garden gate closed; at least no one in the seaside town seemed too interested in who she was. Pulling her phone from a pocket, Kisara tried to search for online maps of the town, only to find she had no interent connection available to her - talk about first world problems. Looking around, she paused as a man caught her attention. He was tall with brown hair and a familiar look about his face, but the way he stared at her put the young woman on edge.

"H-hello. I was … umm … wondering if y-you knew where the, uhhh, graveyard is?"

Swiping her hair out of her eyes, she could feel her cheeks burning up in a bright blush as the man stared at her in confusion. He seemed to shake himself then and flashed an arrogant smile as he ran a hand through his hair and pointed down the narrow street.

"Straight down to the end, then take two lefts and you can't miss it."

"T-thank you."

Kisara stuttered her response and offered a small bow to the man before making to follow his instructions. Onjuku was an old town and reminded her of the many small secondary streets in Domino, where the dominating rush of business life was shut off. The only rushing around she saw as she walked was a boy chasing after his escaped dog and a toddler making a break away from her quick-to-notice mother. Two statues of camels rose on a small sand dune beside the sea, an odd piece of art in her opinion. The cemetery appeared not long after she took the second left turn, just as the man said, and Kisara was relieved to see a familiar figure standing inside the stone wall.

The gate let her through without a sound and she gave a few seconds reading the kanji on the headstone, internally proud of how quick her Japanese had come back to her. The surname was a common one, but that just seemed to emphasise that he hadn't been a billionaire's son forever.

"Nakamura?"

Seto blinked and smirked as a small hand slid into his. Yawning, he nodded his head and let her lean against him. He hadn't visited the grave in years now and wear and tear was starting to show on the headstone. Damp had gotten beneath the small glass panel and the picture was starting to warp around the edges, that and weeds were popping up from beneath the stone chips topping the plot.

"Not as flashy as Kaiba, but it was the first name I had."

"So that's why you wanted to come here … this is where you were born?"

Seto nodded then and ran a hand through his hair. None of the media outlets or internet sources could lay claim to knowing of his past, of knowing about the little kid that had run along the beach to watch the _ama_ women diving for shellfish and pearls off the north rocks. There had been a group of them back then; himself and three other boys along with two girls. Any of those once-children could pass him in the street now and he wouldn't have a clue who they were, but he had no doubt they remembered him. Some had even tried to sell stories of his childhood, his relations included, but a simple cease-and-desist threat and injunction from his legal team had kept Seto Nakamura a secret.

"Mokuba looks just like her …"

He smiled at those words and draped an arm across her shoulders, toying with the end of the green scarf. Mokuba looked eerily like their mother with the same black hair and wide grin, and probably the same easygoing attitude. He was a lot more like their father, or so people had always told him.

The damp hadn't gotten to the faces in the picture yet and he would be sure to have it repaired before it could. Taking a step closer, Seto felt a weight lifting from his shoulders. He had neglected to visit the graveyard when he'd fled to the town before Duelist Kingdom and he regretted that. It felt right being here, to come back and show her where he'd come from and to show his parents what he'd become despite it all. He would bring Mokuba back to the town the next time, but it was enough for now.

"What were their names?"

Kisara asked the question quietly as she slid her arm under his open black bomber jacket and hugged her man closer. The two strangers looked a happy couple in the small picture embedded in the headstone, both smiling for the camera. The young ages etched beneath tainted it with a tragic undertone though: twenty-eight and thirty-two.

"Ayumi and Daisuke."

An _ama_ diver and an engineer working at the local train station; they had still been such in that picture. Little did the couple know how their marriage would end. His mother had died giving birth to Mokuba, the details fogged up by his young age at the time. His father had been a good man and had tried his best to hold it together, managing to get baby Mokie into a routine and teach his older boy how to play chess. Some idiotic drunk-driver had run a stop sign and sent Daisuke to meet his wife.

"I've seen him … only a while ago. He told me how to get here."

Kisara had taken a step forward to better squint at the picture in the headstone. He was younger by far in the picture, but it was definitely the man she had seen on the street, the one that had regarded her so oddly. The way he had flashed that smirk and run a hand through his hair all clicked into place, along with the tall stature and brown hair - he had reminded her of Seto.

Her fiancé chuckled at that and turned away from grave, his arm draping across her shoulders again as she fell into step beside him.

"Don't worry, you're not seeing things. You probably saw my uncle Ryosuke, twins used to run in my old family."

"Twins, two?"

"That's usually the deal with them, yeah. Don't look so shocked, Kisara. A lot of my relatives are still living here, I just don't bother with them."

They walked in silence for a few minutes after that remark, the salty wind blowing in roughly from the nearby beach. She knew the basic story of the Kaibas, that Gozaburo had adopted Seto and Mokuba from an orphanage, but it had never dawned on her that someone would have had to leave them in the state's care to begin with. Someone had abandoned them first.

"They left you and now they want to know you because you're famous and rich. You should have gotten a restraining order or something."

"Careful, contempt suits you."

He was smirking when she looked up with guilty eyes; she hadn't meant to speak about them like that - she didn't even know the people, but she already disliked them. Rain began to fall in a light drizzle as they exited the graveyard and walked along an empty street. A garbage truck rumbled past, but that was all that disturbed the quiet town so early in the morning.

"I never thanked you."

His hand was toying with the scarf again and Kisara frowned as she side-stepped a gift from someone's dog: thank her for what?

"For sleeping my way from Domino to here? I doubt I'm much of a travel-buddy."

"Actually you're snoring kept me awake."

"I do not-"

She didn't even bother finishing the protest, instead sticking her tongue out. She had had this argument with Vivian too and it was cropping up every so often in the mansion; she didn't snore and that was an end to that.

"For not holding it against me."

His temper. Neither of them needed to fill in the blanks in that riddle. She had thought about that a lot after seeking asylum in Vivian's apartment; why she had run from the mansion and why she had wanted to return almost instantly. Yes he'd thrown the phone, but it had smashed against the wall on the opposite side of the room, nowhere near her. Pure habit had made her run from the room, the flight reflex of self-preservation.

Taking a few quick steps forward, the young woman let the wind have reign of her hair and leaned against the metal railing that marked the beach's territory from the urban roads and lanes. The world seemed so much bigger on the coast with the Pacific Ocean stretching out to the horizon and wind whipping the small waves into white-tops. Vivian was right; she should have told him ages ago, come clean from the start. Only when she felt him standing behind her did Kisara take a breath and speak as she fidgeted with her scarf.

"I used to hold it against myself for years. That it was my fault Nat had died, that she had been on my horse that morning, that _mon oncle _was grieving. But there's a difference between grieving and punishing and I saw that after I moved to China. It was grief that drove him to drinking and gambling, but what he done to me and _tantine _… She told me he was better, that he had gone to counselling, but I could never even be in the same room alone with him after those years of running and hiding."

Staring out at a fisherman on the rocks, Kisara thought back on her past like some kind of spectator, as if it hadn't actually been her to wake up on the floor a tooth-less than before. That she hadn't run as her aunt had interceded between them to her own detriment. Hands gripped the railing on either side of her and she could see his knuckles turning white as she spoke again.

"He called me a mistake once, that I shouldn't have been born."

"Big man to hit a kid, we'll see how big he is when I get my hands on-"

"No, promise you won't Seto … please."

She turned around then, fully aware of how Stockholm-syndrome she sounded. Holding onto his black jacket, Kisara tried her best to look sincere as she brushed her hair behind her ear.

"It's over now, I have you and Mokuba and Kai and my friends. I've moved on and I hope he can too."

She held his gaze until something gave and Seto smirked down at her and placed a light kiss on her forehead.

"You're a good person, Kisara, but a bad liar."

He pushed some hair back behind her ear and Kisara blushed as she recalled Téa's words from weeks ago; she always tucked hair behind her ear when she lied. Did that mean she didn't want her uncle to move on with his life? Truth be told, she wanted the man to know how much he had hurt her over the years, but she had been brought up better than that. Placing her hands on her hips, she fixed him with a suspicious glare.

"Did Hobson break you collarbone?"

"Where did that come from?"

Catching his bomber jacket as he made to take a few steps back, Kisara kept Seto facing her. It hadn't clicked until Vivian had scratched at her own collarbone yesterday; her friend had never done that before and it had set her to wondering. She traced a light finger over his Henley shirt above his clavicle and spoke quietly.

"I'm not the only one with a tell."

Speechless for a second, Seto accepted he'd been caught in his own trap and scuffed the ground with his toe.

"Hobson was an asshole but it wasn't him. Now come on."

She giggled as he half-pushed, half-lifted her down the slope and onto the damp sand. Onjuku seemed a quaint town as they walked along the beach, with more and more people waking and going about their daily business. It was so nice to walk past strangers and not have them give a toss who you were, even a friendly wave from the men on a launching fishing boat was a fleeting politeness; they had to be out before the tide turned.

A few more people materialised on the beach, a couple walking their dog and a few young men in wetsuits dragged surfboards down to the water's edge. The place was probably overrun with holiday-goers during the summer months, but for now it was pleasantly quiet especially when compared to the bustling hub of Domino City.

The same odd statue of two camels and a moon had loomed back into view and Kisara slowed her walking to inspect the unusual instalment. The camels and their riders just looked so out of place on a drizzly Japanese coast.

"_Tsuki no Sabaku_, the Desert of the Moon. It's supposed to be an Arabian prince and princess from an old song inspired by the beach ..."

Seto left his explanation trail off, not quite sure how right he was about the story; it had been years since he'd recalled the old tale. There had also been a legend that a young widow had thrown herself into the sea and forever walked the sand looking for her lost love … but that one had only cropped up a few months before he had left the town for the orphanage.

Leaning against the low stone wall bordering the beach, he felt the papers in his pocket weigh a bit heavier. This was supposed to be a break away from it all, a few quiet days away from the city before people started lining up for his time again. He had a press conference as soon as he got back, along with a charity auction being held at Domino's Museum to attend. Toshi wanted to go over the zoo chain plans again and Mokuba had mentioned an open-evening at the high school too. But he had his own life to sort out first and the main obstacle was sitting hidden in his pocket.

"The Estates. How would you run them?"

Seto had expected the question to stun her, or at least to make her think for a few minutes, but Kisara only smiled and stood closer to him as the wind played havoc with her long hair.

"Well, I'd re-brand the wine first of all because that old logo looks very dated but keep our famous name … and then I'd re-open the old stables. We used to have the best racing blood in France and we still have a handful of valuable bloodlines in livery. But what I _really_ want to do is branch out to Ireland and hopefully work in conjunction with Coolmore Ireland; they have the largest thoroughbred breeding program in the world and … and now I'm babbling."

Whatever doubt he'd had at asking the question, Seto let it fade away as she blushed and fidgeted with her scarf. That answer had been worlds away from the mumbled uncertainty he'd expected and made it sound like she'd considered the possibility numerous times.

"But that's just me ... and it's not my choice."

"What if it is?"

Seto pulled the subpoena and will from his pocket then and unfolded them before handing the sheets over. It was now or never and she deserved to know about her right to the Estates.

"You're named here as Chief Executive Officer, and a little digging turned up your father's will. He was the heir to the Estates and its CEO too; he intended for the business to be held in trust until your eighteenth birthday. Your uncle has retained CEO status for two illegal years and has been signing off on deals you should have a say in, Kisara. The Estates _are_ yours."

Taking the two sheets of paper, the young woman didn't even notice her hand shaking as she stared down at Matthew Ashbrook's alien handwriting and the familiar subpoena. That didn't make any sense; her uncle was running the Estates because she didn't know anything about business and because he was the CEO. Surely he wouldn't have kept such a secret from her as she travelled the world from university to university.

"You don't have to follow it up anymore if you-"

"I want to. If it's legally mine then I want it."

She surprised herself with the surety in her voice, and the edge of anger that escaped her. She had been told for years that she wouldn't understand such corporate matters, that she should focus her studies on subjects that would help her represent the Estates in the public eye.

"Kisara, are you sure? I mean even if he hands over the Estates quietly, there's gonna be deadlines and budgeting to take care of. You probably won't have a free minute."

"I've seen what you deal with and I know I'm not nearly ready for it, but I can put together a board of officials like you do. I want to be able to earn my own money, to pay for things from my own pocket and not leech out of your account. People just think I'm some kind of trophy-wife but I want to be able to stand on my own two feet and not- what are you smiling at?"

Seto couldn't stop himself from chuckling as she frowned and hit him with the papers. Catching her wrists, he laughed all the more as she stomped her feet in the sand.

"You just insinuated that you want to run the Estates purely to go on a spending spree … but I'll help any way I can."

Kisara stopped struggling and looked up at him from beneath her damp fringe with a smile springing into place.

"Really?"

"_Oui belle dame."_

He kept her wrists caught, but Kisara stood on her tip-toes and smiled giddily into the kiss as Seto spoke low. The fishing boat was too far out to see Japan's most famous couple kissing in the rain, but two people did manage to spot them. Two strangers that had known KaibaCorp's owner, each in a different life. Shadi turned from his vantage point by a closed shop and walked away down the deserted lane-way, happy that things were looking up for Seth's reincarnation. The other spy found it harder to turn away, but he had a garage to open and had given up any right he had to his brother's sons when he had heeded his wife and left the boys at the orphanage.

* * *

**A/n -** **Thanks a million for reading guys and let me know if there's anything you'd like to see!**

**Note 1:** _Gebelk_ was the dungeon-keeper thingy in the Ancient Egyptian arc, and is considered the past-life version of Hobson.

**Note 2:** _Tantine_ is an informal way of referring to an aunt in French.

**Note 3:** _Onjuku_ is a real place on the east coast of Japan. _Ama_ divers (usually women) are free-divers who collect shellfish and pearl from the sea floor and have done so for generations. The _Tsuki no Sabaku_ is also real and is the town's recognised landmark.

**Note 4:** _Coolmore Ireland_ (or colloquially _Coolmore Stud_) is the founding branch of the largest thoroughbred-breeding programme in the world, based in Fethard in South Tipperary.


End file.
